Mazda’s R.A.C.E. STEM Education Outreach Program Surpasses 10,000 Students - Speedway Digest

It’s back-to-school time for school kids across the county and the acclaimed R.A.C.E. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education outreach program is back in action. Launched by Mazda in January, the Racing Accelerates Creative Education (R.A.C.E.) outreach program has now positively impacted more than 10,000 middle and high school students. To date, there have been 22 interactive presentations at 12 schools local to the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship events.

“This STEM program has been one of the most rewarding things we’ve done at Mazda Motorsports,” enthused John Doonan, Director, Mazda Motorsports and driving force behind Mazda’s R.A.C.E. STEM initiative. “We’re happy to report that our future is in good hands as the students that we’ve been fortunate enough to interact with are demonstrating the drive, initiative and curiosity that it takes to convert STEM education into global innovation.”

Earlier this week over 1,400 students from James Bowie High School and Akins High School in Austin experienced Mazda’s STEM presentation. Thanks to the STEM advocates and leadership team at Circuit of the Americas, each student was given a free race ticket for this weekend’s race.

“Through the track promoter ticket giveaways, we’ve been able to bring students to the race events and take them behind the curtain to show how Mazda uses STEM in every aspect of our racing and engineering programs,” explained Joel Miller, Mazda factory driver, race team degreed engineer, and Mazda’s featured speaker at the schools. “We’re grateful to those promoters that have supported the program, because together, we’ve created not only new sports car racing fans, but we’ve made the connection between the classroom and the careers in motorsports. It’s fantastic.”

Mazda’s 2014 STEM campaign will close out with two more presentations in advance of the Road Atlanta Petit Le Mans race. Both will be held at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Ga. on September 30. Plans for the 2015 R.A.C.E. STEM schedule are underway.

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.