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Soap Box Derby and Sphere Leadership Form Partnership for Soap Box Derby Programs in Australia

The International Soap Box Derby (ISBD) today announced that it has signed an agreement with  Sphere Leadership of Australia to bring Soap Box Derby programs to Australia. Sphere Leadership will be collaborating with the Soap Box Derby to further its international reach with its All-American racing program and STEM-based education program.

“This is a big part of the future of the International Soap Box Derby and an unprecedented partnership in our history,” said Derby President & CEO Mark Gerberich. “Not only will Sphere Leadership be promoting racing in Australia, but they will also help us create brand awareness, furthering the Soap Box Derby’s mission by delivering our STEM-based education program and summer camps.” Sphere Leadership will operate under the license of Australian Soap Box Derby.

“The Australian Soap Box Derby is excited about building strong relationships with local schools and businesses with the engagement of students in STEM subject matter and creating a fun space where students learn and excel with a license to thrill when racing,” said  Jessica Gnata, Founder, Owner and Director at Sphere Leadership.

The All-American Racing Program dates back to 1934 when the first All-American Soap Box Derby World Championship race was held in Dayton, Ohio. Today, 400-plus kids from around the world annually earn a spot in the FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio via qualifying races in more than 110 racing sites.

The Derby began its education initiative in 2010 with the creation of the Gravity Racing Challenge (GRC) STEM Team Competition. Two Soap Box Derby cars were placed in the National Inventors Hall of Fame School as a test to see if children in a classroom setting would benefit from constructing, fine-tuning and racing Derby cars. The GRC is now held in seven different locations and has grown to include more than 300 teams. The teams come from traditional classroom settings, after-school programs and youth programs such as Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, and Boys and Girls Clubs.