PINNACLE, a team of Manatee County students, has been named champion at the Formula 1 in Schools USA National Championships, after three days of competition at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX. The win qualifies the team for an invitation to the F1 in Schools World Finals later this year. Formula One in Schools (F1S) is the largest global STEM competition in the world. Students develop, test, manufacture and run CO2-powered, miniature Formula 1 cars, as well as construct pit displays, deliver presentations and produce both enterprise and engineering portfolios.

P1NNACLE is a Manatee County team with students from Palmetto High School, Southeast High School and the University of South Florida. Team members are Jaxson Bunes-Design Engineer, Arianna Longo – Resource Manager, Hunter Raley – Manufacturing Engineer, Jaye Kendzior – Team Manager, Abbygale Owen – Social Media Manager, and Eleanor Hopkins – Graphic Designer. Support Team members include Elizabeth Casadonte, Hayden Simon and Sammy Slovak. The team’s advisors are Brian Kendzior, Career and Technical Education teacher at Palmetto High School and Margi Nanney, Florine J Abel Elementary.

The team also won a host of contingency awards including Best Engineered Car, Best Verbal Presentation, Best Enterprise Award, Most Innovative Thinking and the Scrutineering Award. 

Formula 1 in Schools