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GreenpowerUSA in the Troup County School System
GreenpowerTroup promotes STEM education in LaGrange, Georgia through GreenpowerUSA - a dynamic STEM program that gives students the opportunity to DESIGN, BUILD, & RACE electric cars. The Troup County School System has a Greenpower program in ALL of our elementary, middle, and high schools - a total of over 40 electric race cars on 19 campuses. Students can get involved with a Greenpower Goblin program starting in the 4th grade. In middle and high school they participate in the F24 program. There is nothing like the excitement of motorsports to inspire students in STEM! Interested in seeing a Greenpower USA program started at your school? Email Matthew Graham at grahamma@troup.org
Greenpowerusa
Greenpowerusa
The goal of the Greenpower USA Foundation is to advance the understanding of STEM topics and inspire innovation in young people through the immersive experience of designing, building, and racing electric powered vehicles. For more information visit www.greenpowerusa.net
PROGRAM GOALS
To change current views about engineering, presenting it as a fascinating, relevant and dynamic career choice for any young person. The project strengthens college and career readiness.
To link education, industry and community through inspirational engineering projects.
To demonstrate the importance of engineering, and associated STEM subjects, to solve the problems faced by societies today particularly in the areas of sustainability.
To promote social inclusion through engaging with vulnerable and economically disadvantaged young people.
Students can learn valuable engineering & workforce skills, including:
Computer Aided Design using Siemens professional software
Mechanical engineering
Basic electricity
Basic aerodynamics
Basic energy conservation
Basic manufacturing techniques
Teamwork
Tool basics
Project management
Fund raising, marketing, public relations
Soft skills
Greenpower Specialist - Troup County School System
Matthew Graham
Mr. Graham at the 2025 National Championship with his daughter Piper & nephews Eli & Zeke Brown. Piper (center) was the team leader for the National Champion 000 team, Eli (left) was the pusher for the National Runner-up 999 team, and Zeke (right) was the pit crew chief for the National Runner-up 555 team.
The first Greenpower team in Troup County - Cougar Strong Racing 000, at their very first race on 4.13.2018 where they placed 2nd overall. Far right is Mr. Graham, far left is Mr. Giles, former Principal at LCMS. Right of center is Mr. Graham's son Walker who was in the 7th grade & team leader of the 000 team.
Mr. Graham created the very first Greenpower class and GreenpowerUSA team in Troup County in the fall of 2017 at Long Cane Middle School. He grew the the program to 3 teams of 45 students and for 8 years under his leadership, Cougar Strong Racing was the most dominant middle school GreenpowerUSA program in the United States, achieving National Championships in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, & 2025.
In addition to coaching his teams at LCMS, Mr. Graham also took on the role of Greenpower Coordinator for Troup County Schools in the summer of 2020. For five years he led the implementation of Greenpower programs at ALL schools in Troup County. He also worked with local business and industry to fund and coordinate three local Greenpower race events in LaGrange - the Diverse Power Grand Prix, the Kia Spring Fever Goblin Rally, and the Match in the Patch. Each year these events set new participation records and were some of the most anticipated races on the GPUSA race calendar.
At the end of the 24-25 school year Mr. Graham left his position as Greenpower teacher at Long Cane Middle School to take a new full-time position as the Greenpower Specialist for the Troup County School System. He's already leveraging the new position to increase program funding by 40% and increase local Greenpower race events by 67%. Two new races have been added to our local race calendar: The 1st Annual Kia Georgia Green Prix, and the 1st Annual Mobis Georgia Goblin Cup, giving us a total of 5 local race events and reducing the need for teams to travel out of town to compete.
Mr. Graham's goal is to serve as an ambassador for GreenpowerUSA in Troup County and the surrounding areas to increase awareness & participation in this exciting and engaging STEM program for elementary, middle, & high school students. He looks forward to building on last year's success to achieve even greater goals for the 9th year of GreenpowerUSA in Troup County.
The first Greenpower team in Troup County, the Cougar Strong Racing 000 team from Long Cane Middle, made up of 6th, 7th, & 8th graders. This photo was after their second race event ever on 5.19.2018, the Grissom Grand Prix in Huntsville, AL where they placed 1st overall in the endurance race and 2nd overall out of 28 teams! From left to right: Mr. Graham, John'neycia Gilliam, Thad Ferguson, Ryan Webb, Walker Graham, Sebashtian Ferrar, Chloe Morris, Bo Dyes, Isaiah Hall, Isaiah Wood, Dustin Pendergrass, Kevin Webb, Michaela Collins, Zakierria Palmore, Summer Horne (not pictured).
This photo was Mr. Graham's 2021-2022 Cougar Strong Racing teams at the 2022 National Championship at Talladega Superspeedway. The 7th grade 000 team (in the middle) won the National Championship that year - the first for the 000 F24. The 8th grade 999 team (far left) was the National Runner-up that year. And the 6th grade 555 team (far right) placed 3rd Nationally that year. That event was the very first National Championship at Talladega Superspeedway!
This was Mr. Graham's Cougar Strong Racing teams at the 2025 National Championship at Talladega Superspeedway. The 7th grade 000 team (center) won the National Championship - the second one for the 000 F24 (which was 8 years old!), and the 6th National Championship for the LCMS program. The 8th grade 999 team (left) was the National Runner-up in the modified division. And the 6th grade 555 team (right) was also the National Runner-up in the stock division.
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