Students race toward nationals

EAST COUNTY — Merritt Kendzior, Hannah Figueras, Madelyn Kumar, Victoria Sinclair and Domenic Aluise sit around a long table with their computers in front of them.

They’ll spend the next week perfecting their design and business plan. But on May 16 and May 17, they’ll test them on a national level as their team, Slipstream, competes in the F1 in Schools National Final, at Michigan International Speedway.

F1 (Formula One) in Schools is a challenge managed by SAE International, the world’s premier engineering society composed of engineers and technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries.

“It’s as real as it gets,” said Aluise, a sophomore at Braden River High School, of the competition.

Since January, the team has worked on the design and presentation of its 52-gram Formula One model race car.

“We’re incorporating a lot of new things into our car this year that we’re sure no one’s ever seen before,” Aluise said.

Slipstream will be one of only two teams from Florida vying for the national title.

For the competition, the students have created their own automotive company, with a vehicle design, logo, business plan, sponsorships and more.

“The car has to be fast and well designed, but you have to have a team that’s well (prepared),” Figueras said. “It’s not 36 separate events (like in Technology Student Association competitions); it’s one big one.”

The Team
Merritt Kendzior, team manager and design engineer
Hannah Figueras, graphic designer
Madelyn Kumar, resource manager
Victoria Sinclair, graphic designer and manufacturing engineer
Domenic Aluise, design and manufacturing engineer

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].