Girl Scouts of Nassau County were recently awarded a $5,000 grant from Verizon to support the 2020 Savannah Speedway Experience.
In 2019, the inaugural Savannah Speedway Experience was made possible thanks to a generous initial grant by Verizon. During the original event, 400 Girl Scouts – ranging from Daisies to Ambassadors – created wooden cars to participate in the competition.
Now, in its second year, this number has almost quintupled, with over 1,900 participating Girl Scouts in Nassau County.
“We are incredibly thankful to Verizon for its initial support and the decision to once again provide us with the opportunity to host a program that focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math with this generous grant,” said Randell M. Bynum, chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County. “We had a very successful Savannah Speedway Experience last year, and we are not surprised by the incredible response we’re seeing this year and the anticipated large turnout. This program invites girls interested in STEM to experiment while designing their model car to ensure it’s designed to be the fastest and best performing in the race.”
Ahead of the competition, hundreds of Girl Scouts from throughout Nassau County will create their own gravity-powered wooden car for the preliminary rounds of the competition, taking into consideration the shape and weight of the material, friction, inertia, and the slope of the track as they learn about turning potential energy into kinetic energy while maximizing their car’s speed and distance.
“At Verizon, it’s part of our core mission to help fund STEM education for youth, ages K-12. Through this grant, we’re able to positively impact our local community today, and give these young girls the opportunity to learn skills they can keep with them for life,” said Rich Windram, a New York state representative for Verizon’s government affairs division. “We’re very pleased to see the joy on the faces of these Girl Scouts as they participate in the Savannah Speedway.”
This year, the Savannah Speedway Experience will take place on Saturday, April 25 at Levittown Hall. First place trophies will be given at each Girl Scout level. Medals will also be awarded in 10 additional fun categories such as the “most patriotic” and “most bling” cars. And, of course, all participants will receive the Savannah Speedway Girl Scout patch.
To learn more about Girl Scouts of Nassau County, visit www.gsnc.org.
Submitted by the Girl Scouts of Nassau County
