GREENPOWER ADDS TWO LONDON SCHOOLS TO FORMULA E SUPPORT RACE
Bolingbroke Academy in Wandsworth and Harris Academy Morden join Formula E School Series grid for season finaleAdditional teams make London race a 12-car field – the biggest in School Series’ inaugural seasonFormula E and School Series reach season climax in Battersea Park on Saturday, June 27
Two extra London-based schools will race in the final round of the Formula E School Series, run by sustainable engineering charity, Greenpower Education Trust.
Bolingbroke Academy in Wandsworth and Harris Academy Morden will both field teams in the pioneering championship’s finale, to be held in London’s Battersea Park on Saturday June 27.
Greenpower is the Official School Series Provider to the FIA Formula Championship, the world’s first global, all-electric motorsport series.
The addition of Bolingbroke and Harris Academies will make the London round’s 12-car grid the biggest yet in the School Series’ short history.
Teams competing in the Formula E School Series comprise students aged 11-16 who build and race their own electric racing car, learning hands-on sustainable engineering skills while experiencing the thrill of racing on the same inner-city street circuits on which the stars of Formula E compete.
Harris Academy Morden principal, Lee Mallin, said: “Harris Academy Morden is very excited to join the Greenpower Formula E Schools Series, in partnership with Truro High School.
“The Schools Series provides students with real-life engineering experience within the high-intensity environment of a race track.
“Schools are the breeding ground for the next generation of engineers, mathematicians and scientist who will lead the development of sustainable technologies; hopefully, building and racing an eco-friendly Formula E School Series car will ignite this enthusiasm and passion for years to come.
“We look forward to building and racing the winning Formula E race car.”
Greenpower Education Trust CEO, Jeremy Way, said: “Demand for London schools to compete in the season finale was, as you’d expect, incredibly high especially as the UK is our home market.
“We had so many schools keen to take part that we negotiated an additional couple of grid slots so that more of London’s young people can experience this unique opportunity. I hope that the students of Bolingbroke and Harris Academies are inspired by their time in the School Series to consider engineering as a future career path.”
The other 10 schools already confirmed for the June 27 London finale are:Elutec – a University Technical College (UTC) in East LondonHighgate SchoolGreenwich UTCColfes School, Horn Park in GreenwichChelsea AcademyRokeby School, supported by the charity, Kids Company and based in Canning Town All Saints Catholic School, Dagenham Greig City Academy, HaringeyThe London Nautical School, LambethLittle Illford School, Newham
Greenpower is in its 16th year of running race championships for primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities in the UK. It currently works with around 500 institutions and more than 1,000 students in a programme designed to get young people interested in engineering, particularly sustainable engineering, at an early age.
The UK needs an average of 74,000 new workers with engineering skills to enter the industry between now and 2022 if it is to maximise its true potential. In total, 257,000 of those jobs are new vacancies that will grow the industry, as opposed to simply maintaining its current size.
Through the Greenpower programme, young people from the age of nine get hands-on engineering experience but also learn communication, team-building and co-operation skills, while the process also gives underprivileged or struggling youngsters a renewed focus and goals for which to aim.
