Two pupils from Altrincham Grammar School for Boys were last week given a VIP tour of the Red Bull factory at Milton Keynes after they were part of the winning team of the fifth annual British School Karting Championship.
Max McGuire (17), Zubair Hoque (14) and their team-mate Alex Wilson beat 450 teams from 176 schools at the BSKC finals in March. The series was set up in 2006 to bring competitve, cost-effective karting into UK schools.
“This amazing experience has been the stuff of dreams for the boys but what they have learnt goes far beyond a fun day out,” said Eddie Hall, deputy head teacher of Altrincham Grammar. “Karting has such wide-reaching educational benefits that can be fed into subjects as varied as science, maths, technology and engineering.
“The confidence all our students have gained in their ability since competing in the championships has given them the motivation to achieve more, both inside and outside the classroom. I'll definitely be using the experience to fire up my students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills.”
Speaking after his day out, student Max McGuire talked of a new-found respect for his teachers. “We had such a fantastic day,” he said. “Winning the karting championship was a real team-building exercise, as I didn't know the other boys on my team before we competed. We've had amazing support and interest from school staff and friends and I feel immensely proud that we could win on behalf of the school.
“In terms of motivation, I've always liked my school and the teachers, but I like them even more now for taking me racing!”
More information on the British School Karting Championship can be found on their website at www.bskc.co.uk.
