Southeast High School Team Takes Third in World Competition

For the second year in a row, the Southeast High Schools Unitus Racing team took a spot on the podium in a world competition.

This week became the first team in the history of the competition among school F1 teams to gain two podium finishes. The team won the world title a year ago in Singapore and finished Wedensday in third place overall at the 2011 event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Southeast High School team is made up offour students and two advisors. This year's Unitus Racing Team Members are:

• Amanda Clark, team manager, a senior at Southeast High School
• Tony Griffin, graphic designer, freshman at  State College of Florida
• Mark Nanney, design & manufacturing engineer,  Florida Institute of Technology
• Niemann Pest, design & manufacturing engineer, sophomore at Patrick Henry High School
• Margi Nanney and Chris Morris served at team advisors

F1 In Schools is an international event for middle and high school students to design and manufacture miniature, CO2-powered balsa wood F1 race cars. Unitus’ cars traveled down a 60-foot track at just over a second.  

In addition to the design and manufacture of the cars, the team must present a 10 minute lecture, participate in a 30-minute engineering interview and design and build a large display. 

“We are really proud of our strong finish and happy to bring home another trophy to the USA,” said Tony Griffin, Unitus Racing Graphic Designer.

The competition is in its 11th year. The point spread was very tight for the top three spots with Unitus Racing just 7 points from winning the first place award again.

The Pentagliders from Australia won the first place Bernie Ecclestone Trophy with second place awarded to Team Betagreen from Germany. A total of 24 teams from 18 countries competed at the competition.

Unitus Racing had the fourth fastest car in time trials and the design and engineering were deemed tops by a panel of world judges. The team delivered a flawless verbal presentation and garnered top points for their pit display and printed materials.  

“We have been up against some really strong teams but our preparation over the past year really paid off,” said Unitus Team Manager Amanda Clark. 

The F1 In Schools program is designed to excite students through hands on learning with particular emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. In the USA these programs are being emphasized as a way to revitalize our commitment to strengthen the pillars of American innovation and competitiveness – basic research in the physical sciences and math and science education.

Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman of F1 in Schools, was impressed with the local team's abilities.

“Never before has the same team stood on the podium two times," said Denford. "Unitus Racing has done that two years in a row with a world championship and a third place finish among the best and brightest students in the world. They have done an outstanding job representing the USA on the world stage. These students represent the next generation of entrepreneurs and engineers.”