This car racing school is making STEM education fun for Philly youth

The Urban Youth Racing School is focused on getting underprivileged kids interested in STEM careers by teaching them about motorsports.

For the last 26 years, the Fishtown-based UYRS has been teaching students about engineering and technology by framing it around racing cars and drones. Founder and executive director Anthony Martin wants kids who are underrepresented in the racing industry to know they can successfully pursue whatever career path they choose.

“At the end of the day, the goals are for students to get an education and for students to really be involved in this technology side,” Martin said. “Because again, the way things are going — everything is technology.”

Martin’s professional background is in sports marketing, but he was always a racing fan. Before starting the school, the Southwest Philly native connected with Michael Andretti, a famous motorsports racing driver, and invited him to bring his racecar and present it to a group of Philly youth.

After seeing the kids’ reactions and listening to Andretti talk about his career, Martin had the idea to start his own educational program.

“From there I had this idea of doing this diversity program,” he told Technical.ly, “getting not just kids of color, but kids who were lower income and from the inner city the opportunity to be involved in this multi-billion dollar industry.”

Urban Youth Racing School founder Anthony Martin teaches students from Universal Vare STEM and Arts Academy (Courtesy UYRS)

A great weekend activity, or part of the school day

UYRS runs along four tracks:

• The Build a Dream program teaches students about motor sports and professional racing.
• The Naval Engine Design program teaches students about naval ship design, engine design and ship maintenance.
• The Remote Piloted Vehicles program teaches students about remote control electronics, avionics and aircraft maintenance.
• The What It Takes program connects teenage boys with professional mentors to learn about their career pathways.

Martin hires field experts to teach all the classes and sponsor Chevy Racing covers the cost of classes for families with lower incomes.

In general, the curriculum teaches kids how to think like an engineer and practice problem-solving skills, per Reggie Showers, a two-time motorcycle drag racing world champion who’s an instructor at UYRS.

“I try to get these kids interested in science and math and let them know that the world needs more engineers,” Showers said. “And the engineers are the world’s problem solvers. And if they can get interested in engineering, there are companies around the world that will pay them lots of money just because they’re smart.”

One project the students complete is building their own model drag race cars. Showers shows them how the pieces should go together, and then they get to design the car however they want. The following day, the students race their custom autos against one another.

Students from Universal Vare STEM and Arts Academy build model race cars at the Urban Youth Racing School (Courtesy UYRS)

This exercise teaches the students about science and math, but also how to use tools, follow instructions — and be patient.

Traditionally, parents have signed up their kids for weekend programming, but at the end of last year, the school started collaborating with the South Philly charter school Universal Vare STEM and Arts Academy. This partnership brings middle schoolers into UYRS during the day to teach them about technology, science and math through racing.

The program follows the same schedule as UYRS’ normal racing program, consisting of five weeks of classroom instruction about race car construction, aerodynamics and the history of motorsports. Then the students switch to five weeks of learning to drive race cars at a go kart track in New Jersey.

The Urban Youth Racing School includes a drone program (UYRS)

College or not, these are useful skills

About three quarters of UYRS’ students go to college, according to Martin, the executive director — and of that group, he estimates about half go on to become engineers. Many UYRS students go on to become scientists, engineers and technicians.

“[Kids] may not be thinking about careers in aviation or careers in motorsports,” said Showers, the instructor. “And that’s what the school affords them. It opens up their minds and gives them the resources and a pathway.”

UYRS is also exploring educational programs for students who might not want to go to a traditional college.

Last year, the school did a pilot cohort to train students in computer numerical control (CNC) machining, which uses programming to manufacture mechanical parts.

Martin’s big hope? To expand the program and its mission of accessible STEM education through racing to other cities across the US.

“My number one goal would be to have a kid go to college, get his degree and become an engineer, for sure,” Martin said. “But for students who are not going to go to college, for sure this is a major opportunity.”

Students show off their model race cars at the Urban Youth Racing School (UYRS)