The student group has used the hallways when working to improve the mechanics of their Formula 24 race car.
But the team is gearing up to take their race car outside the familiar hallways of Harlem to travel to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May, where they'll put their innovation and mechanical engineering abilities to the test.
The project is a first for Harlem High, Columbia County and the state. And it has been a community effort.
Thibodeau said that he learned about the Greenpower Foundation's program from Mike Weiksner, department head of the Mechanical Engineering Technology Program at Augusta Tech.
"As a CTAE (Career, Technical and Agricultural Education) teacher, we have to have industry partnership meetings." Thibodeau said. "(Siemens and The Greenpower Foundation) were going to give away one racecar and he asked for schools to apply. I wrote a letter asking for it and we received it. It's the first Greenpower program in Georgia."
But Siemens and the Greenpower Foundation didn't stop there. Three additional Columbia County schools, River Ridge, North Harlem and Martinez elementary schools, have also been awarded grants totaling $4,500 for each school to receive electric car kits similar to Thibodeau's class.
The grant check was presented to the elementary schools' administrators during a presentation at Harlem High School Monday. There, representatives from Textron Specialty Vehicles also presented a check for $5,000 to support the Harlem High School team to travel to Indianapolis.
Thibodeau said that other local contributions have come from Chain Reaction Bicycles in the form of wheels and tires, and monetary donations from a company called Mini Mobile.
The main goal is to get students involved at a young age in learning about mechanical engineering and its opportunities. But the message was clear during the Monday presentation that the racing and mechanical engineer elements were just part of the educational opportunities students could gain.
Representatives from Siemens, Textron and the Greenpower Foundation shared other opportunities, including marketing. Even race car driving is a career opportunity.
Thibodeau said the team has only had since February to prepare their Formula 24 race car, and students spend just a few more than six hours each week working on the event.
"It's an honor, but at the same time it also puts more weight on us," Thibodeau said. "It makes the competition more real and I'm hoping the students learn enough to step up and win."
The team of freshmen and sophomores participate in class and after school working with Textron and the Greenpower Foundation to learn mechanics of a race car.
"This has been a fantastic learning opportunity for our students, and that's what it's all about," Thibodeau said. "And thank you so much to Siemens and Textron and other local buisinesses that have expressed interest in supporting what we are doing."
©2017 The Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, Ga.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
