Acceler8 Automotive Education hosts At-Risk kids at Formula DRIFT Long Beach
Acceler8 – the Official Education Partner of the Formula DRIFT motorsports series – is continuing its outreach program as the Series returns to California for the final two rounds.
Acceler8 is an Automotive Education Program run by a small group of Law Enforcement veterans who are seeking to make a difference in their communities. The non-profit organization aims to introduce men and women aged 14-24 to the automotive industry and the many opportunities it holds. Its mission is to teach skills to high school students who are at risk of negative engagement with Law Enforcement, and help to build them into leaders. The program is structured to develop positive relationships with Law Enforcement mentors through a shared enthusiasm for automobiles at a critical time in their lives, while also teaching them work and life skills that will help them enter the workforce.
As part of the program, Acceler8 teamed up with Formula DRIFT to allow students to meet the professional teams and see them work with some of the most powerful vehicles in modern motorsports.
Working with local Law Enforcement organizations, Acceler8 hosted more than 100 students at several earlier 2021 Formula DRIFT rounds, including Atlanta and Seattle. And for this weekend in Long Beach, Acceler8 will be working with two Los Angeles organizations to inspire more students.
For this weekend’s Formula DRIFT PRO Championship Round 7 on the Streets of Long Beach course, the students will meet several of the teams, drivers, Formula DRIFT officials and team sponsors to learn more about the series, the vehicles, and even the products that allow the cars to perform at the highest level on the track. For many of the students, learning how individual drivers and crew members were able to forge a career in the racing industry can be equally inspiring.
After looking behind the scenes, the students finish the educational portion of the day watching the highly skilled drivers practice and qualify for the Competition Heats in their purpose-built drift machines.
2022 PROGRAM
As the 2021 Formula DRIFT PRO Championship comes to an end in October at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, CA, Acceler8 is already working on the next phase of its development. The new project for 2022 will incorporate mobile automotive classes, which will reach even more communities in Los Angeles and beyond.
The Acceler8 team is working on a custom-fitted van that will be fully equipped with tools and hardware to allow the educators and mentors to hold classes in any location, rather than depending on the generosity of facilities to host them.
GET INVOLVED
The Accelerate Education Group (Acceler8) is an independent non-profit organization supported by the Los Angeles Police Protective League. It is committed to providing substantive alternatives to crime and substance abuse that will change lives and help build future leaders in Los Angeles County.
In addition to recommending students to the program, we invite the Greater Los Angeles community and automotive enthusiasts to get involved with Acceler8. As a nonprofit organization, it is funded solely by donations and sponsorships from the community. All funds raised go directly to the Acceler8 program and help to provide each student a chance to enter the automotive industry by gaining the skills needed to advance their potential while being mentored by leaders within the community. Furthermore, Acceler8 welcomes qualified volunteers to join the program to impart their knowledge and life skills either mentoring the students or providing their expertise. Please visit acceler8education.org to learn more about the Acceler8 program, to enroll a student, volunteer for the program, or to donate.
Editorial or News staff wishing to join Acceler8 at Formula DRIFT this weekend should please contact us via the Media Contacts below. Video is available upon request.
ABOUT ACCELER8
Accelerate Education Group (Acceler8) is an independent non-profit organization supported by the Los Angeles Police Protective League. It is committed to providing substantive alternatives to crime and substance abuse that will change the lives and help build future leaders in Los Angeles County. It does this by providing a curriculum designed to help enhance knowledge within the automotive field, as well as mentoring, life skills, job skills and hands-on experience. Please visit acceler8education.org to learn more about the Acceler8 program, to enroll a student, volunteer for the program, or to donate.
ACCELER8 FORMULA DRIFT SUPPORTERS
Galpin Auto Sports (galpinautosports.com)
ID Agency (theidagency.com)
Los Angeles Protective League
PKautodesign (pkautodesign.com)
Lucas Oil (Lucasoil.com)
Borla Exhaust (borla.com)
Slime (Slime.com)
DSMT Harnessing (dsmt.com)
ABOUT FORMULA DRIFT
Formula DRIFT is recognized as the leading international drifting championship. Established on the streets of Japan, drifting has evolved into a worldwide competitive sport that challenges the driver's skill while demanding a great deal from their vehicle in terms of power and strength. Formula DRIFT provides a series for the best professional drifters from around the globe to compete for the coveted title of Formula DRIFT Champion. As the first official drifting series in North America, Formula DRIFT has taken competitive motorsports to the extreme, attracting drift fans and car enthusiasts from all walks of life, and established itself as the global leader for the sport. For a competition schedule, ticket information, special content and livestream, please visit formulad.com
MEDIA CONTACT
Charles Woodruff at Acceler8 (Cwoodruff@acceler8education.org)
Greg Emmerson at ID Agency (greg@theidagency.com)
