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After the final checkered flag falls on the weekend’s races, a few Sprint Car drivers will go from inspiring kids in the grandstands to educating them in the classroom on Monday, May 13.
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car drivers and others will meet with students at Milton Hershey School to teach them about racing, work skills, career goals and more, kicking off the second annual Milton Hershey Sprint Car Experience.
“Through the partnership between Milton Hershey School and World of Outlaws, students get to hear from and interact directly with World of Outlaw drivers,” said Sarah Bonner, manager of admissions marketing and recruitment at MHS. “Drivers share real-world topics like work ethic and respect in the field, the importance of teamwork and communication, and the ability to accept feedback. Students also can apply the skills they learn in their Career Technical Education classes to real-world situations.”
Brock Zearfoss and Giovanni Scelzi, who participated in the class talks last year, will meet with students again on Monday, along with Pennsylvania driver Chase Dietz and Jade Avedisian, the 2023 Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota champion.
“The whole experience was eye-opening for me,” Scelzi said. “It was incredible the whole Milton Hershey (School) facility. It was unbelievable what they do for the kids. It was just amazing. Not only the facility but what they do to help kids was very eye-opening.”
Milton Hershey School is one of the world’s best private schools, where qualifying pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students live on campus and receive an exceptional education with top-tier classes and facilities—with all costs covered.
Zearfoss, from Jonestown, PA — about 30 minutes from MHS — has gotten to work with the school and its students for the past three years. Along with speaking in classes, he’s also welcomed a few students as honorary crew members during race nights.
“It’s a unique experience for the kids to see and hear from us, and it’s also unique from our end to do something like that,” Zearfoss said about visiting the school. “It takes us out of our comfort zone, you could say. Try to encourage kids to follow their dreams or keep their heads down and keep working hard, achieving goals. It’s all beneficial for the kids. That’s what it’s all about. I’m happy to be able to be a small piece of that. Hopefully, some of the kids there will take the words we have to say and run with it. Hopefully, we can make an impact on a few lives.”
He and Dietz will attend one of the school’s auto shop classes, while Scelzi and Avedisian will speak in one of the school’s middle division classes.
Then, the day will move to Hersheypark Stadium, where World of Outlaws and PA Posse Sprint Car drivers and their cars will meet and interact exclusively with MHS students from every grade level. At 5 p.m. ET, the event will open to the public — free for the entire family.
“I am always deeply moved by the joy that I witness on the faces of our students when they have the chance to interact with World of Outlaws drivers and team members,” Bonner said. “From our youngest students having the opportunity to sit in a race car and explore the team haulers to our older students who get to work alongside pit crews at races, these experiences are changing their perspective on careers. Students have mentioned how these encounters give them the confidence to dream big and broaden their perspective on the various and exciting career options the automotive industry offers.”
The experiences have also increased their love for motorsports.
“The collaboration between Milton Hershey School and the World of Outlaws has sparked a newfound fascination with racing among the students,” Bonner added. “From spotting a Sprint Car adorned with the school’s logo to classroom visits by drivers, and even students getting to be part of the pit crew during races, the partnership has created ample opportunities for over 2,100 MHS students to embrace this new experience.
“I recently spoke with a student who participated in a previous pit crew experience, and they cannot wait to attend this year’s race. The students love the atmosphere at the racetrack so much!”
One message Scelzi hopes students take away from the day is a career in motorsports, even with the World of Outlaws, may not be as far away as they think.
“Kids, and people in general, view working on race cars as being so far out of reach for them,” Scelzi said. “It’s really not. I feel like being in the hotbed Sprint Car racing, like Pennsylvania is, the opportunity is there if you want it enough. With Milton Hershey partnering with the Outlaws, it gives some of those kids the opportunity to see it’s not that far out of reach. It’s not rocket science what we’re doing. All the kids want to be drivers and a lot of drivers started out as crew guys. It’s not as out of reach as it might seem.”
For more information about the Milton Hershey School and the Milton Hershey Sprint Car Experience, CLICK HERE.
