NewsGAR FOUNDATION PROVIDES $60,000 GRANT TO SOAP BOX DERBY TO FUND PARTNERSHIP WITH EDUSCAPE; DIGITIZE STEM EDUCATION CURRICULUM12.10.2021GAR Foundation has provided a $60,000 grant to International Soap Box Derby, Inc. (ISBD), to fund modernizing and digitizing all existing Soap Box Derby Science, Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) education materials and to develop new eLearning courses. ISBD has partnered with New Jersey-based Eduscape, a developer and provider of educational technology solutions and eLearning programs, to supply the upgrades. Current Soap Box Derby STEM programming includes the in-school Gravity Racing Challenge in which students build full-size Soap Box Derby racers and the Mini-Car program involving scale model cars which are 1/13th the size of full-size race cars. In both programs, students learn STEM principles of aerodynamics, friction, alignment and mathematics. Existing curriculum manuals and activity books for grades three through nine will be digitized to make them readily accessible. Eduscape also will work with ISBD officials to develop the Soap Box Derby Academy of eLearning courses for Mini-Cars, digiRacer autonomous cars, coding for Soap Box Derby race cars and use of 3D printing. “GAR Foundation is happy to support this work by the International Soap Box Derby because we believe digitizing and upgrading the curriculum and materials will increase accessibility for more kids and families to experience high-quality STEM education,” stated Kirstin Toth, senior vice president of the Foundation. “Making these materials and experiences available for more teachers and students is part of our goal for kids to have more equitable extended learning opportunities. We believe this partnership with Eduscape is a great start, for Akron and beyond.” “We are extremely grateful for GAR Foundation’s continuing support with this significant grant that will enable more boys and girls to learn STEM fundamentals through designing and racing Soap Box Derby race cars,” said Mark Gerberich, president and chief executive officer of ISBD.