On Sept. 17, the Winners Circle Project for students from Candor and Waverly, N.Y. had a bittersweet ending as the two Mk4 Shelby Cobra replicas, built with kits from Factory Five Racing, were sold at State Line Auto Auction in Waverly, N.Y. to the highest bidder.
The car built by Candor was sold to Vern Morgan Jr. out of Horseheads, N.Y. for $43,500; Waverly’s car went for $46,500, and was purchased by the Adcock Brothers out of Manheim, Pa., according to Pius Kayiira, executive director of the Winners Circle Project.
The mid-September auction was the culmination of years of hard work for students from both Waverly and Candor, with several of them present at the auction to watch as their car rolled onto the auction block and then back out the door. The look on the faces of the students in attendance was a combination of anxiety and excitement about the sale of the cars, followed by a bit of sadness.
Pictured, Candor’s build is sold on Sept. 17 at State Line Auto Auction in Waverly, N.Y., and as part of the Winners Circle Project. (Photo by Wendy Post)
“Wait, I never got to drive the car,” Jasmine Auffhammer, student and project participant from Candor, N.Y., exclaimed as their car rolled out the door at State Line Auto Auction, and after the final bid came in.
Auffhammer was one of many students participating in the Winners Circle Project, a program that is being introduced in area schools. This year Owego is joining the project, as well as Waverly and Candor, who are returning for another year.
Waverly’s build was sold on Sept. 17 at State Line Auto Auction in Waverly, N.Y., and as part of the Winners Circle Project. (Photo by Wendy Post)
The concept of the Winners Circle Project is unique to area schools, and is growing in popularity among students. This hands-on project features the cars and cob building, another aspect of the program led by Matteo Lundgren.
According to Kayiira, all three schools will be building an outdoor classroom this year made of cob.
“The cob build allows students to build naturally using materials made from the earth, and utilizes educational components of science and agriculture,” Kayiira stated of the cob-building portion of the Winners Circle Project.
As for the Shelby Cobra replicas, projects are already underway.
According to Eric Knolles, superintendent of Waverly Schools, they have 26 students signed up for the project this year and will be working out of the bus garage with a technology teacher and certified mechanic.
Technology teacher Stephen Lindridge, from Candor, reported that work on this year’s car has already started.
“We have spent seven days on the car already, and are focusing now on the logistics of the build,” said Lindridge, adding, “This includes familiarity with the build, the build manual, tools, supplies, and the inventorying of all the parts that come in the kit.”
The course meets daily, according to Lindridge, and is offered as an elective class.
The previous car build for both schools was a bit of a challenge coming off the ground, mainly due to pandemic delays.
As an example, Candor students started their first build in September of 2019, but were sent home in March of 2020 due to COVID; they didn’t touch the car again until September 2020. They did, however, meet once every month for an hour during that time, with social distancing protocols in place to keep things moving.
Students from Waverly also worked on the car during the pandemic, and according to Kayiira they were able to finish the project within the timeline. “Incredible feat when you consider the circumstances,” he added.
Throughout the entire project, students were able to apply educational components of science, technology, engineering and math, and then were challenged with marketing and an added bonus of witnessing performance evaluations on the cars at State Line Auto Auction in Waverly on Sept. 8, and at Watkins Glen International on Sept. 10. Chris Dyson, Ford Mustang Champion and a Trans-Am Series Champion, conducted the hands-on performance evaluation at both State Line Auto Auction and WGI.
And Dyson has been instrumental through his family’s foundation, providing funding to get the projects off the ground in area schools. The auction of the builds, Kayiira added, helps to keep things going for the program as well.
Now moving into its second year, and with the last project completed with the sale of cars at State Line Auto Auction on Sept. 17, technology teachers and administrators of the program are looking forward, and are also using their experience from the last project to build upon.
“The project is amazing,” said Lindridge, adding, “The Winners Circle Project is still growing as we find different ways to assemble components, which is streamlining the build. There are some growing pains, but in all large projects there always will be.”
Superintendent Knolles talked of the excitement building for this year’s project, stating, “The project has been great for the kids, the school and the community. It has created relationships with [students] from different social circles.”
Lindridge added, “The students involved are excited and motivated to see their hard work come to life. This is an overwhelming project and it is up to the instructors to manage this and break the build into bite sized pieces.”
For the upcoming project year, Kayiira noted the addition of several field trips, to include a trip to Massachusetts to visit Factory Five Racing. On Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, students have an opportunity to participate in an enrichment class on cob building, offered by Enrichment Program Coordinator Matteo Lundgren. The field trip will take place in Brooktondale, N.Y.
To learn more about the Winners Circle Project and its programs, visit www.winners-circle.org.
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