CENTRAL FLORIDA SOAP BOX DERBY, INC.
SANFORD, FLORIDA

The youth is encouraged to do as much of the work as his/her skill level permits. Building and racing a derby race car is a lot of fun and a rewarding experience for both youth and advisor. The time spent together helps build a strong bond and becomes an enjoyable shared experience. Mission Statement The Soap Box Derby® is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to build knowledge and character, and to create meaningful experiences through collaboration and fair and honest competition. Jenn Baugher grew up in Akron, Ohio beginning her Soap Box Derby racing career in 1992 at the age of just eight years old. She was the first and only member of her family to take part in the sport. By participating in the events, it allowed Jenn to become closer to her father; an engineer who enjoyed helping her build her Stock and Super Stock Derby cars. Jenn’s already existing interest in cars paired with her father’s engineering insight helped lead her to the STEM career field she works in today! Jenn attended the Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) before becoming an Advanced Concept Designer at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). She had a knack for drawing and making artwork her entire life, but it wasn’t until her early teens that the specific interest in cars developed. At first, the direction she wanted to take was to become a custom car painter and air brusher. After she painted her friend’s and her own Super Stock cars, she realized that may not exactly be her passion. It was a great learning experience however, that helped her later in college when deciding to create car models. That is when she found out that there are careers where people can draw and design future cars. It was in that moment, she knew that was what she wanted to do after graduating from CIA. The Soap Box Derby helped lead Jenn to her STEAM career (many in her industry add the A for Art). What she does is closely related to STEM but also adds the element of creative thinking, problem solving and artistic skills that also apply to being a successful Derby racer. Jenn began competing at eight years old and continued until 2001 when she was 17. She raced both Stock and Super Stock in the Akron Local as well as a few rally races in Cleveland and Dayton, Ohio; Charleston, WV and Rochester, NY. She competed for a few years in the Buccaneer Invitational in Charleston, WV as a calibration driver for the calibration of the hill that was done prior to sanctioned All-American races. The Soap Box Derby taught her many life lessons such as sportsmanship, commitment, responsibility, innovation and to compete with integrity. The principle of hard work, commitment and competitiveness instilled through the Derby helped with pursing a job in the car design industry. It is a very difficult field to get into, so those skills really benefited Jenn when landing her job at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Today, Jenn lives in the Greater Detroit area working in the Advanced Studio of a major auto manufacturer. Her job is to dream up, design and draw future vehicles for her company. She works with a team to help define the future direction of the company’s brands: Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Maserati. Even though Jenn is now a very successful car designer, she has not forgotten about her time spent growing up with the Soap Box Derby. The most memorable aspect of her participation in the Derby was the relationships cultivated through racing. Not only was it a great bonding experience with her father, but it allowed her to make lifelong friendships. Many of the racers have grown up and moved away from the area, but they still stay in contact on Facebook almost 15 years later! Jenn would love to stay engaged in the Soap Box Derby today, and help in any way she can. She wants to see the Derby draw on its roots as an All-American sport while also embracing the new technologies and changing culture of our country. Jenn says, “We need to answer the question of how does the Derby evolve to stay relevant in an increasingly tech-driven society and more diverse, world-based culture? I think this includes a multi-solution approach looking at defining new products and new ways of thinking about the sport.” “We are excited to partner with LMA to offer the community an event where participants seven and up have the opportunity to experience a ride down the Derby Downs track plus much more,” said International Soap Box Derby President and CEO Mark Gerberich. “This is the first time Legacy Motors of Akron has partnered with the ISBD and we look forward to creating great opportunities for both companies.” “We are excited and honored to be associated with an Akron tradition: The Soap Box Derby.” The national recognition Soap Box Derby brings to Akron is impressive,” stated Doug Behrens, Owner, Legacy Motors of Akron. “We are proud to be from Akron….so proud we put Akron in our name!” “It is a great gesture by Doug and his company to offer free tickets to the community for this event,” added Gerberich. In addition to sponsoring the GRC races, the University of Akron College of Engineering will match scholarships awarded to the champions of the FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby in 2018 and 2019, provided the champions attend The University of Akron and major in engineering. The partnership is a continuation of an ongoing relationship between the SBD and UA’s College of Engineering. In 2015, the National Science Foundation awarded a $750,000 grant to UA’s College of Engineering and Lebron James Family Foundation College of Education, SBD and Akron Public Schools (APS) to formally design, integrate and evaluate the impact of curriculum around the Soap Box Derby Mini-Cars. As part of that project, called Zipping Towards STEM, senior engineering students at UA worked with APS eighth-grade teachers in the classroom to help reinforce the engineering design process and technical content associated with the Mini-Cars project.