Goodyear inspires students with 22nd annual STEM Career Day

Akron, OH – Goodyear and the International Soap Box Derby are hosting a Mini-Car Championship Race as part of Goodyear’s annual STEM Career Day, an outreach event encouraging high school and middle school students to pursue opportunities in various science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The event is being live streamed from Goodyear’s Innovation Center at the company’s headquarters in Akron, OH.
In collaboration with the Soap Box Derby, Goodyear sent mini Soap Box Derby car kits to more than 1,300 students across Northeast OH, allowing students to explore different STEM applications connected to racing. The middle school race challenge prompted students to evaluate how the weight placement in mini cars affects test times on a track with varying slopes and lengths, while high school students could choose to participate in an aerodynamics race challenge and/or unleash their creativity in an automotive design activity.
Students submitted their weight configurations, designs and mini cars for evaluation, and submissions for the race challenges were screened by the Soap Box Derby in qualifying trials. The top cars will participate in the Goodyear STEM Career Day Mini-Car Championship Race. Nearly 30 Goodyear Akron associates have volunteered to support the event.
“For over 20 years, Goodyear’s STEM Career Days have inspired students to immerse themselves in STEM,” said Brandy Moorhead, Goodyear senior director, global off-highway product development. “Goodyear takes great pride in our ability to motivate these talented students and we are committed to continue supporting and promoting STEM education in our communities.”

“We are excited with this Goodyear partnership and delivering their STEM career day virtually,” said Mark Gerberich, president and CEO of the International Soap Box Derby. “This program promotes our mission and impacts students, which opens their minds, with critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration.”
In addition to the Soap Box Derby races and design challenge, Goodyear is funding scholarships for students who will attend any accredited college or university program to pursue a bachelor’s degree in a designated STEM discipline. The scholarship recipients will be announced during the high school live stream. For more information about Goodyear’s STEM Career Day, visit www.goodyear.com/careerday/.