For 20 years now, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg has been one of our city’s most beloved and popular events. Before drivers started their engines and boisterous crowds took the stands this year, I got the chance to go behind the scenes with a very special group of local students and the City of St. Petersburg. I’d like to introduce you to the ten girls enrolled in the Automotive Academy at Northeast High School.

A record number of girls enrolled in the Automotive Academy

The Automotive Academy at Northeast High School used to have only 2 female students in the entire program. Now, the program has 10 girls out of the 105 students enrolled. That’s nearly 10% of the entire demographic. Academy teacher James Kavanagh says that in this field, for every five mechanics leaving or retiring only one new mechanic is joining the workforce.

The four-year program is set up in tandem with Pinellas Technical College. After completing their degree in the academy at Northeast High, students will also have earned credits and completed several certifications from PTC. The academy is not only hoping to set more high school students up for success in this career path but also to help grow the number of women in a typically male-dominated industry. Many shops and dealerships offer starting pay from the high teens to mid-20s with a very high ceiling for potential earnings. The academy also works with a large advisory board of dealerships and auto shops to help build relationships that will aid students with job placements after completing the program.

Seeing the racing world through their eyes

When their yellow school bus arrived a little earlier than anticipated, the race crew said the bus driver could take them for a lap around the track. A surprise that quickly became the favorite part for several of the girls in attendance. The tour of the race grounds began with a walk through the Paddock, the backstage, of the entire race. We wound up in the pit lane and walked over part of the track to where mechanics were conducting safety tests on the vehicles. The conversation and questions about engines, wheels, and other details were definitely out of my breadth but awesome to witness.

It was in all the little in-between moments that you knew this was a core memory for this group of young ladies. The smiles as the pit crew and other staff waved back eagerly during our walkthrough. When the students were urged “You want to work on cars? Get closer you can touch the car, it’s okay!” by one of the mechanics on the tour. The giggling as several of the girls ran a quick foot race down Pit Lane. Walking towards the bus, I overheard several of the students talking excitedly about the mechanics behind how the steering wheel worked.

Why the auto industry? In their own words:

Harleigh, a freshman, said she got into cars because her uncle has a cool car and said “Maybe I can have a career in this”. Long-term she sees herself working in Rally or as a mechanic. Harleigh loved seeing the cars and how the teams worked on everything. The school bus lap around the Grand Prix track was a top-tier moment from the day.

Dailanis, a sophomore, got into cars and auto work because it’s big in her family. She aspires to work in professional drifting and maybe even Formula 1 racing one day. Dailanis said that she loves hands-on work and that working on cars is a sort of “peace” especially when she’s stressed. On having nine other girls in the program with her? Dailanis loves making friends and seeing other girls “having the same passion” for working on cars as she does. The tour, but also the program at large, she says is a great opportunity.

Raising the Firestone flag to start race weekend

Loaded up on the school bus, they made their way to City Hall. The girls got to meet several race officials and Mayor Ken Welch. Race co-owners Kim Green and Kevin Savoree welcomed the group of students and told them they were donating $25,000 to the Pinellas Technical College program to help even more girls join the industry. The smiles were big when students went to meet local driver Nikita Johnson (he’s now 15) and take selfies with both him and the Mayor. Two of the students helped Mayor Welch raise the flag and officially kick off race week here in the Sunshine City.

Know a teen who wants to learn more about the Automotive Academy? You can find details on the program on the Northeast High School website. The students I talked to said if there’s a girl that wants to join “You won’t be the only one” and “Don’t be scared, if you want to do something you can!”

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