SSFS Team Places 5th in DC Electric Vehicle Grand Prix

Each year the nonprofit organization Global EEE (Global Education Energy Environment) sponsors a race of student-built electric vehicles. For the first time since 2015 Sandy Spring Friends School supported a team and entered a vehicle in last Saturday's event in Washington DC. The 2023 DC Electric Vehicle Grand Prix included 25 teams from Maryland, Virginia, and DC schools, including some of the region's best public technical schools and STEM magnet programs. SSFS was the only independent school to enter this year.  

A student group from the Upper School Engineering Club constructed, tested, modified, broke, and repaired their vehicle through the winter and early spring, finishing a race-ready vehicle adorned with school green and yellow. The winner is determined by which team is able to complete the most total laps during two 30-minute heats around an undulating closed course. The event is more a test of efficiency than speed, since the required battery packs contain only so much energy.  So, jackrabbits can lose just as easily as slowpokes.  

Sandy Spring's team placed fifth out of 25 teams and earned the "Best New Team" award by placing highest among the three first-year teams. Team Captains were 12th graders Thomas Han and Shane Toscano. Drivers were 12th graders Erik Kiger and Shane Toscano, and 11th grader Daryan Tchoubineh.  Other key team members included Jason Malik, Andrew Sun, and Evan Fisher (11th grade), Kieran Liftik (10th grade), and Lars Leonard-Cook (9th grade).  Other members of the engineering club assisted along the way. This year's team was supported by science faculty members Parshu Gyawali and David Hickson.