POWERGRAMS

PAG E 5 EDUCATION Combine the exhilarating zoom of sports cars on a racetrack, throw in a little teamwork and a measure of analytical skills, and suddenly there's a winning formula to helping students appreciate math. That lesson was surprising for some visitors to "Track to Your Future" sponsored by Alabama Power at the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. Students got a close look at the exotic- looking, electric-powered Tesla, the Ford Fusion, Chevy Volt and other plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles. "This is all right!" said Leeds sophomore Brandy Tables, climbing into the Tesla before offering a thumb's up from the driver's seat. "If only, if only it was mine," she said as a grin spanned her face and that of a friend's as they took a photo. While Barber Motorsports Park and museum annually draw more than 250,000 visitors from around the world, many teachers and students said they'd never visited. Several teachers seemed as excited as the teens watching Indy cars speeding around the track. "This is pretty amazing to get to be out here today," said Christy Smith, a Pell City High teacher. "This is a great opportunity for my students to get out and do hands- on activities. I want them to see how geometry will apply to the speed dynamics of the Indy cars." Indeed, introducing careers to the students – and allowing them to dream about the possibilities – was the major theme of the sixth annual program sponsored by Zoom Motorsports and Barber. The two-hour event drew about 250 students, grades 10 through 12, from Anniston, Leeds, Pell City and Wenonah high schools. Students not only learned about electric vehicle technology and hybrid-electric cars, but teamed to build small, wooden cars and compete on a miniature track. "This is a great occasion for us to learn about you and your career plans," said Robin White, market specialist for Commercial and Industrial Support, Corporate Headquarters. "We look for you as an employee of Alabama Power someday." White said Ford Fusion and Chevy Volt drivers can use electricity for their everyday commute, seamlessly switching to gasoline for long trips. Meg Smith, administrator for Career Technical Education and Workforce Development at the Alabama Department of Education, said she hoped the day's activities would "open a new door" for the students. "What you see today and hear today can help you make decisions that will help you guide your future in the right direction," Smith said, urging students to update their state assessment. All their students have their aptitudes and abilities initially assessed no later than ninth grade, she said. White led a talk with Indy Series up- and-coming stars Sage Karam and Spencer Pigot. Karam, 20, and Pigot, 21, are lifelong friends who are living their racing dreams. "This is one of my favorite tracks," said Pigot, who began racing competitively at age 9 in Florida. "The better you work with the engineer, the better driver you will be. We've all got the same cars, so the only separation is the driver, the staffing and the team." Karam, who began racing go-carts at age 4, encouraged the students to try to reach their dreams. "For me, there were always reasons to tell me to stop driving and it wouldn't work out," said Karam. "Keep with it, whatever you want to do." Brandi Vines, engineering supervisor at Gardendale Crew Headquarters and an adviser for the company's Learning Engineering and Applying Principles program, was among employees who helped students build the wooden model cars. Vines told them that engineers graduating college with a 2.8 GPA can start out earning $60,000 to $65,000 yearly. Leeds High School instructor Angela Walker hopes to position her students for those high-paying careers. "We were very excited to get the letter to come out here," said Walker, who has taught computer-aided drafting and design for 16 years. "We're a small school with less than 500 students. We don't have a lot of students considering engineering careers such as civil engineering or aerodynamics." With about 90 to 95 percent of college freshman eventually changing majors at least once before graduation, Walker said it is crucial that high schools offer a broad mix of opportunities. "If they never experiment with these types of events, they'll never find out what they really want to do," she said. "Our initiative is to include as many kids as possible." By Donna Cope 5 Track to the Future Photos by Wynter Byrd About 250 students visited event sponsored by Alabama Power. STUDENTS IN DRIVER'S SEAT FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CL ASS AT INDY Students built, raced Pinewood Derby cars. Indy drivers Pigot and Karam talked to students.

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