Ohio Nonprofit Receives $25,000 for Formula 1 Engineering and Technology Program
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Contact:
Mary Welsh Schlueter
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Ohio Nonprofit Receives $25,000 for Formula 1 Engineering and Technology Program
CINCINNATI– (August 7, 2024)–Partnership for Innovation in Education (PIE) was recently awarded a technology grant from the Bell Charitable Foundation as part of the foundation’s mission to promote connectivity through increased digital equity.
PIE received a $25,000 Community Engagement Grant for its “Formula 1 (F1) Design and Sustainability Youth Lab”. Working with Cincinnati Public Schools, DriveOhio, University of Cincinnati College or Engineering, Case Western Reserve University ThinkBox Design Center, The PAST Foundation and The Ohio State University’s Center for Transportation Research (CAR), the program offers immersive, “hands on” afterschool programming to prepare high school students for careers in advanced manufacturing, automotive production, electric vehicle design, and sustainable battery power generation. The program allows students to receive the Society for Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Electric Vehicle Fundamentals 1 credential, allowing them to be prequalified for jobs as EV Automotive Technician, Electric Battery Charging Station Operator and Advanced Manufacturing Operator occupations, immediately after graduating from high school. This is the first program of its kind in the United States, working with motorsports design engineers responsible for building Formula 1 and Formula E motorsports race car engines in Ohio.
Working with Partnership for Innovation in Education, DriveOhio and The PAST Foundation, the funding will help build Portable Innovation Kits (PIK) for distribution to Aiken New Tech High School, a project-based learning school located in North College Hill. The Kits will allow students to learn engineering design using software to design and 3D print their own race car engines using CAD/CAM motorsports engineering applications.
This program is aligned with the U.S. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s $5 billion in National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure State funds and $2.5B in discretionary grants. Ohio has a competitive advantage to attract affiliated industry investments, and create new job opportunities in the design, assembly, operations, and maintenance of Electric Vehicles and affiliated industries. Coined the “Silicon Heartland”, Ohio has become a magnet for EV innovation, product development and manufacturing growth, with massive expansions and new advanced manufacturing sites. The Ohio Manufacturing Association forecasts 25K jobs will be available for Ohio’s workforce requiring unique skill set credentialing to support EV development spanning aerospace, manufacturing, automotive & advanced mobility. Currently, Ohio is facing a critical shortage of skilled trades workers, due to an aging workforce and limited awareness in all trades.
“We are pleased to connect passionate, community-centered organizations like Partnership for Innovation in Education with leading STEM-education and youth-development curriculum,” said Christi Cornette, a Bell Charitable Foundation board member and the Chief Administrative Officer at altafiber. She added, “We look forward to working together to ensure more young people have access to spaces where they can explore the latest technology, unearth possibilities for future career and education success, and meet life-changing mentors to guide them along the way.”
Mary Welsh Schlueter, PIE CEO and Founder stated: “We are honored to have received this generous grant from the Bell Charitable Foundation. Their commitment to our SW Ohio youth is pivotal to accelerating community vitality and offers students’ better understanding of the area’s transit and technology opportunities. At PIE, we are committed to providing students real-life experiences in Ohio’s leading advanced manufacturing, engineering, transportation and technology careers. Our programs enable students to experience a variety of ‘learning and doing’ programs, both in-classroom and afterschool.”
Welsh Schlueter continued, “At Aiken New Tech HS, PIE serves as Fiscal Agent and Program Manager for their U.S. Dept. of Education 21st Century Community Learning Center 5-year afterschool program. This Formula 1 program fits nicely into our role as developer of the K-12 DriveOhio Tool Kit and as Ohio’s Industry Sector Partner in developing the Auto/Electric Vehicle and Advanced Manufacturing K-16 Tool Kit. All these innovative “hands on” workforce and career readiness programs will be available to Ohio’s 1.6M high school students as they prepare for high paying and in-demand occupations.”
About Bell Charitable Foundation (BCF)
At The Bell Charitable Foundation we believe in the powerful union of people and technology. That’s why it is our mission to advance the common good through investment in organizations that actively champion economic and social mobility, advancements in technology, improvements in health and wellbeing, and environmental sustainability. Founded in 2022, the Bell Charitable Foundation provides an opportunity for nonprofit organizations to expand their programs and operations beyond what was previously possible in areas where altafiber and Hawaiian Telcom provide service. With this vision in mind, the Bell Charitable Foundation intends to change our communities from the ground up. Focusing on grassroots organizations making impacts in their neighborhoods, we will partner with catalytic people to elevate the communities we serve and bring our vision to life.
BCF enables altafiber to tackle larger philanthropic initiatives and provide more consistent support to organizations that are focused on increasing access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities in the communities we serve. It also enhances our reporting so that we can better tell the story of our support, be more intentional about the balance of where our funds go and ultimately be better stewards of our community by making more impactful investments.
About Partnership for Innovation in Education (PIE)
Established in 2009 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Partnership for Innovation in Education (PIE) develops transformational educational and industry skill certification tools preparing the 21st century workforce for success in the global marketplace. As a career readiness, talent pipeline and workforce development partner with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, DriveOhio and Cincinnati Public Schools, PIE features first-ever career simulation, industry skills credentialing, and mentoring alliances with business, education and arts organizations, providing hands-on learning leading to job prequalification both afterschool and inside the K-16 classroom.
PIE is a 501c3 nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, awarded the GuideStar Nonprofit “Platinum” Ranking and is an Ohio School District Partner. For more information, visit https://piemedia.org or follow @PIE_Innovation on X (Formerly Twitter).