COLUMBUS, Ind. — A group of fourth graders got the chance to learn all about “the greatest spectacle in racing” on Monday.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway came to CSA Fodrea through the 500 Festival & Indianapolis 500 Education Program, which is geared towards fourth graders and is a combination of in-class curriculum based on Indiana academic standards paired with either a visit to the Speedway or a mobile study trip— where elements of the track and race are brought to schools across the state.
The program teaches kids about the role of the 500 Festival and the Indianapolis 500 in the state’s history and culture, according to the program website. More than 18,450 classrooms and 449,000 Indiana students have experienced it since the program was launched in 2004.
CSA Fodrea students rotated between six stations where they learned about a different facet of the Indianapolis 500 and the racing industry.
The kids learned about the many careers involved in IndyCar, IMS’ traditions, and were able to see an IndyCar up close, parked just outside the gym.
The program is provided at no cost and participating schools were chosen through a raffle system.
Students were going to be learning about Indiana’s past and teacher Shellie Huff thought the mobile unit would be an opportunity to bring some of that history to life.
She put the request in back in the fall and once she heard the mobile unit was coming, Huff kept it close to the vest, waiting for the right moment to tell them.
“I mean— like mouths dropped. I felt like I was saying Taylor Swift was coming into our building.”
At one station, students learned about the different equipment involved in racing — from suits to gloves to helmets to the physics involved in the driver’s seat. Several put on the gloves, mimicking what it would be like to have your hands on the wheel going 200+ mph into a turn.
Fourth grader Gabriel Villalbos raised his hand to diligently explain what g-force was before leaping to the front of the line to try out the driver’s seat.
“I need a glass of milk from station number two,” he said.
For the complete story and more photos, see Wednesday’s Republic.
