Kid Spark Education Brings STEM Learning to Nashville’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix
Nashville, Tennessee — Sept 9, 2024 - By Amal Abuqawod
The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix is an annual NTT INDYCAR Series race held in Nashville, Tennessee. The event takes place on a unique street circuit that crosses the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge. In addition to the high-speed race, it features live music, entertainment, local food, and this year, STEM education!
In partnership with Firestone Racing and the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, Kid Spark introduced INDYcar racing in a fun, educational way to children in the Nashville area community.
At McMurray Middle School, a Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation STEM Center recipient, students explored the different elements of an INDYcar and built their own models using Kid Spark engineering materials. They tested and modified their cars, experimenting with different designs to see which could travel the furthest down an inclined plane.
At the Nashville Adventure Science Center, young learners had the exciting opportunity to meet INDYcar driver Josef Newgarden and read Josef’s Big Dream: An Indy 500 Story, written by author Andy Amendola. Afterward, with the help of Firestone Racing's iconic mascot, Firehawk, they used Kid Spark engineering materials to build their own INDYcars, making the event both educational and fun.
Kid Spark Education is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering all children, especially those from underserved and underrepresented communities, to learn and love STEM. We develop innovative STEM learning products and solutions, share them with schools and informal learning providers across the country, and support educators as they mentor the next generation of inventors, leaders, and creative problem solvers.
For inquiries, please contact:
Ryan Neden, Executive Director
ryann@kidsparkeducation.org
🌍 Join the STEM Education Revolution!
For more information about Kid Spark Education, visit www.kidsparkeducation.org. If you’d like to partner with us to increase equity in STEM education, please reach out to partner@kidsparkeducation.org.