DAYTONA BEACH, FL — The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. today officially unveiled the Goodyear Racing and Diversity Program, an initiative the company started to provide high school students with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the many career paths offered through the sport of NASCAR. Goodyear is the exclusive tire supplier of NASCAR’s three largest series.
The program, offered in Daytona Beach, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit and Dover, DE, will provide more than 60 interested minority students annually with a graduated program of at-track experiences, internships and, ultimately, the opportunity to receive one of six scholarships to help continue their education.
As part of the announcement, Goodyear introduced its first two race weekend internship recipients, Eboni Washington and Rodrigo "Rod" Bernal. Washington and Bernal, both seniors at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, will work in their fields of interest with established professionals on Saturday, Feb. 16, leading into the NASCAR Nationwide Series Race and on Sunday, Feb. 17, leading into the 50th running of the Daytona 500.
"Goodyear is proud to offer deserving high school students a unique opportunity to experience firsthand the wide variety of career opportunities available through the sport of NASCAR," said Kris Kienzl, NASCAR marketing manager at Goodyear. "Thanks to our longstanding, uninterrupted involvement with NASCAR, we are able to provide an inside look at career paths from engineering and design to marketing and promotions, with mentors from all over the sport, whether from NASCAR, individual race teams, tracks or Goodyear."
In its first year, the Goodyear Racing and Diversity program has already provided more than 60 high school students from across the country the chance to experience NASCAR first-hand and receive a behind-the-scenes look at a NASCAR race. Students participating in these events had to maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and be in good standing in their school and local community to become eligible to apply for race-weekend internships. Once selected, students are paired with one or more ‘mentors’ in career areas of interest to them for two, six-hour days of work. Those students who complete their race-weekend internships are then eligible to apply for one of six scholarships, including five $2,000 awards and one $30,000 scholarship to be used toward their continuing education.
"NASCAR is proud to partner with Goodyear in creating this new diversity program and looks forward to helping them provide meaningful career experiences for promising high school students across the country," said Marcus Jadotte, managing director, Public Affairs for NASCAR.
Both Washington and Bernal attended the Pepsi 400 in Daytona Beach last July with 10 other area students, receiving a behind-the-scenes tour of the pits and Goodyear Racing’s tire operations, and watching the race from the stands. All students attending the race weekend were eligible to submit applications for a race-day internship.
"Eboni and Rod were selected on the strength of their school records and extra-curricular activities as well as the recommendations of their teachers," added Kienzl.
During Washington’s four years at Mainland High School, she has excelled both in and out of the classroom, sitting in the top three percent of her graduating class. In addition to her outstanding academics, she is also an integral member of both the volleyball and tennis teams, where she earned multiple accolades, including team captain and best team player. Washington manages to find time to volunteer in both her school and community by tutoring her peers and as an active member in the LINK Crew, which helps underclassmen adjust to high school life. During her weekend internship, Washington will experience where her interests in engineering, business and public relations could take her.
Bernal’s commitment to academic and extracurricular excellence is among his major accomplishments as a student. He showcases his leadership abilities as a producer in Mainland High School’s Television Production Department. Deeply involved in the community, Bernal is often selected as a speaker by the administration and faculty to represent Mainland High School at local and community events. He will spend his internship living the options available in broadcasting, video and film production.
