Formula for success in Manatee County

Rye Wilderness resident Cassandra Atzrodt, the research and planning manager for the F1 in Schools team representing the School District of Manatee County, wasn’t sure her team, Perspective, could reach its fundraising goal to pay for a trip Sept. 9-11 to Singapore for the F1 in Schools World Championship.

“Our budget was $54,600, and we had six weeks to raise all of our money,” said Atzrodt, who is a student at Southeast High School. “When it was all over, I felt like a big weight was taken off my shoulders.”

Perspective raised $66,600.

F1 in Schools challenges students ages 9 to 19 to collaborate, design, analyze and race miniature compressed air-powered cars. That means doing just about everything a Formula 1 race team would do in the real world, and that includes soliciting funds.

Perspective, which arrived to a surprise party Sept. 17 at the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, placed third overall at the World Championship and first in the research and development category.

The team qualified for the World Championship by finishing second June 14-16 at the U.S. Nationals in Austin, Texas.

Then it was time to find some money. Among the keys were presentations to Spectrum and AT&T, which gave a combined $15,000 toward the project. 

“At some points, it seemed like, ‘Oh gosh, this is never going to work out,’” Atzrodt said. 

The team consisted of Atzrodt, Braden River seniors Alana Kelly and Ahmad Ibsais, Lakewood Ranch’s Alex Kumar, who attends Southeast High, and Palmetto High’s Jaxson Bunes.

The team consisted of Kelly, Ibsais, Atzrodt, Lakewood Ranch's Alex Kumar and Palmetto's Jaxson Bunes.