Students from Okeechobee High School saw first-hand how their classroom skills could apply to a future career in STEM and motorsports  at Sebring International Raceway on May 8.

The FPL-sponsored Electrathon team from OHS got an exclusive tour of the GT World Challenge America where they participated in activities like a Q&A with SRO’s scrutineering and technical department and a career talk with a race team engineer.

“These are gas-powered cars and we’re working with electric-powered cars, but how they are similar is teamwork, Ramses Esquivel, a student at Okeechobee High School said. “You have to rely on each other to get the car back up and running.”

Through Electrathon, students develop creativity, teamwork, problem-solving and critical thinking skills while building electric cars from scratch using an FPL-provided kit.

“To see the different paths they can take in this industry; it’s not just working at a shop or a dealership,” Okeechobee High School teacher, Jason Anderson said. There is more than one path in the automotive world. Whether or not it’s a race team, running the inspections, running the track. There are tons of jobs in this industry.”

This is the second year FPL has partnered with SRO Motorsports Group to offer Florida students a unique hands-on learning opportunity at the track.

“We are committed to empowering the next generation of community leaders and innovators through STEM learning,” community relations specialist, Isabella Burckhardt said. “The Electrathon program helps us do that through partnerships like this with SRO Motorsports Group, where we can show students real-world applications of their skills.”