Marketing in Motion

By Wendy Post —

Schools that are participating in this year’s Winners Circle Project are gearing up for their annual competition, an evaluation of their build, with hopes of earning the coveted Michael Spencer Award; a recognition awarded to Owego Free Academy last year. The competition is scheduled for May 24, this year at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut.

The final test, run and evaluation has taken place historically at Watkins Glen International Speedway but was moved this year due to a conflict in scheduling, according to Pius Kayiira, founder and executive director of The Winners Circle Project.

Kayiira continued, “It also allows for students that participated to be present for the competition. It’s the first time in our calendar year we have put out a champion for the current class.”

For the marketing aspects of the program, Kayiira stated that it has been “through the roof.”

He added, “The marketing aspect of the program allows for creativity, thinking outside of the box. We try to give students a platform.”

Some incentives this year for the marketing classes at the participating schools, who work in conjunction with the shop and tech teachers performing the build, include a newly formed scholarship through Marist College, with the recipient already selected and to be announced at the May 24 Lime Rock event. This scholarship, according to Kayiira, allows for a student to attend the summer college program.

Currently, for this year’s Winners Circle Project, there are five schools participating to include Waverly and Owego; Dutchess County has three schools this year; for the 2024-2025 school year Dutchess County will have four.

But for Owego, they are running off of the energy built last year when they earned the coveted Michael Spencer Award during the test, run and evaluation at Watkins Glen; an award that trumped Waverly’s 1932 Ford Hot Rod build.

For last year’s May event, Owego rolled out a replica of a ’33 Hot Rod, a build that earned Chris Thomas, CTE teacher for the Owego Central School District, along with his students, the trophy.

This year returns back to the Cobra Roadster build, however, leveling out the competition. 

The program’s overall success relies on the marketing involved as well. Each school participating executes a separate marketing class, or campaign, to promote their build, and Owego was no exception.

We visited their class last month to learn about the tools they are using to promote things, and just one month before they are set to head to the championship in Connecticut.

In addition to former promotions, like their inclusion in a commercial surrounding the program, found at https://winners-circle.org/, and their win last year, the class has an edge on this year’s marketing.

The marketing, as with the mechanics of the Cobra, are all a part of the equation that solidifies the team as a whole. The marketing team, as with other components, is judged and evaluated.

Students talked about their work last month, noting press releases, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram Posts that offer a behind the scenes look at what goes into developing a race car.

Student Jacob Zervos talked about their daily posts, and how they all are able to provide updates on things going on with the program.

They also have a newsletter, with two editions published so far.

Adam Arhbal spoke about their strategy and objective.

“We want the project to be visible in the community,” said Arhbal, adding, “We want [the community] to become aware of what we are doing.”

One aspect of the newsletter they highlighted is “Blythe’s Tell All”, coined after a student that experienced both the marketing aspects of the build and the actual build itself.

In this column, Blythe motivates, talks about his passions, and what it all means – right up to the Winners Circle.

The newsletter also offers a Student Highlight, How To, Extracurriculars, Class Updates and, of course, Racing News.

Owego’s Marketing teacher, Alessio De Michele, summed up their goal this year, stating, “We, the marketing and building team, have been working together to win our competition,” and added, “We want the community to know about this new way of learning that our school has incorporated from the Winners Circle Project, and how it’s helped students get real world experience and opportunities for the future.”

What they are learning, as communicated by the marketing class, is to focus on all elements that comprise the Winners Circle Project as a whole.

“Owego CSD has taken a new approach to STEAM education,” the class wrote in their Racing News, and added, “A unique way that creates new opportunities and relationships between students.”

Both of Owego’s classes, marketing and tech, also had the opportunity to work with Matteo Lundgren and other students from the Waverly WCP, where they worked together to create a pizza oven using Cobb. The purpose, according to students, is to work as a team and learn how to problem solve together.

The students in De Michele’s class referred to Lundgren as a life coach, of sorts, a motivator.

They also spoke of Matteo Bonfo, director of visual communications for the WCP, and his marketing expertise.

According to Arhbal, Banfo helps push their social media posts and is instrumental with video and movie creation.

“He shows us how to make the post memorable, informative, and helps it to stand out,” added Arhbal.

With field trips to BMW headquarters and Factory Five, travels that will culminate on May 24 with the championship at Lime Rock Park, the students also had an opportunity to participate in a combination of hands-on and virtual simulations leading to a final, polished, and well-marketed product.

The most recent race, in a simulated platform, was run on April 30, and streamed at www.youtube.com/@winnerscircleproject7587/featured. The WCP Endurance Sim Race finale will take place on May 21 on the YouTube Channel.

Also, on May 20, WCP performance testing of all five cars will take place with Trans Am Champion Chris Dyson at Dyson Lab, and as things near the finish line for this year’s competition.

The students and teams are keeping the public up to date on their Instagram pages; @ketcham_racing, @rooseveltracing, @waverly_racing; @johnjay.racing, and @owego.winnerscircle/. There, you will find updates on the builds, as well as information about upcoming activities for the program and its students.

To learn more about the Winners Circle Project programs and activities, visit www.winners-circle.org or take a look at the marketing for each project on Instagram. You can also follow them on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@winnerscircleproject7587.