PEMBROKE, GA – It’s likely you’ve heard of STEM programs, an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education that uses a hands-on, problem-based learning approach to prepare students for college or trade schools on their way to future careers. We got word of a really cool STEM program from the Bryan County Middle High School (BCMHS) in Pembroke Georgia, that we just had to share with our Ford Performance fans because it showcases the power of Ford’s racing heritage and also the enduring appeal of the Mustang brand. Students in this school participate in what’s called the Hydrogen Grand Prix (H2GP) program – a hands-on STEM initiative that challenges students to design, build, and race hydrogen-powered remote-controlled cars. The program is divided into two class sections: an 8th-grade course led by Ms. Adams and a 9th-12th grade course taught by Ms. Alexander.
Students in both classes explore alternative energy, efficiency and engineering principles while fine-tuning higher-order thinking skills through inquiry-based learning. After mastering the basic idea of hydrogen fuel cells, students then take the lead in their education, using creativity and critical problem-solving to bring their cars to life. Teachers serve as mentors, guiding students through the design, construction, and optimization of their H2GP cars over the course of the year. Through the process, students have designed, built, reimagined, and rebuilt their cars – developing themes, improving efficiency and honing teamwork skills. This dedication was put to the test in two recent endurance races, including the state championship, where BCMHS teams finished in the top seven out of 15 competitors. Now, two of these top-performing teams have earned a spot in the H2GP World Finals in Chemnitz, Germany, in August 2025, representing BCMHS on the global stage.
But here’s what makes this story so special for us: We got a note from the school’s H2GP Technical Advisor, Joey Mitchell, who tipped us off that although the H2GP program is sponsored by two major foreign automakers, his high school teams chose to run Mustang bodies. That’s right, they swapped out the 1:10-scale touring car bodies of other brands for Ford Mustangs!
“It was mostly because of all the bodies you can buy for a 1:10-scale touring car, nothing says Endurance Racing pedigree like a Ford Mustang,” Mitchell explained. “In fact, our high school teams watched the Ford vs. Ferrari movie as part of their required research into endurance racing. They chose the Mustang. The bodies arrive clear and are painted to the specs of our teams. Just check out the photos of some of our Mustang-bodied cars! The blue lights visible inside the cars are part of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell system the students learn to operate to keep their cars in the race. Energy efficiency, strategy, endurance, durability and consistency all factor into the racing, just much as speed.
“H2GP is energy limited endurance racing, and the goal is to complete as many laps as possible within a given time limit with a given amount of hydrogen and a limited battery capacity,” Mitchell continued. “Our regional qualifier was a 2-hour race, and the World Finials race will be a 6-hour race hosted in Chemnitz, Germany. You might find it interesting to know that we're taking two teams to the World Finals. One is a group of five high school boys, the other is a team of five middle-school girls. Both of our teams will compete in the "Stock Class" world finals. The all-girl team will also compete in a "Girls in STEM" race for all-girl teams. Each race at the world finals is 6 hours, so our girls team will be doing a total of 12 hours of racing. Who knows -- maybe we'll see them at Sebring one day?
“During the races, the First-Shift drivers line up on the drivers’ platform awaiting the green flag. Each team has multiple drivers. It is up to each team how to strategize driver changes. Most teams do it during pit stops to swap batteries or Hydrosticks (the hydrogen “tanks” on the car.) Incidentally, one of our drivers comes from a family of Mustang fans. He regularly shows up to school driving one of several Mustangs from his family’s stable. I’ve seen him driving a white S197 Saleen, as well as a black SN95 Cobra. He is one of the students on our high school team that is going to Germany.”
Mitchell went on to say that BCMHS has offered the teams the opportunity to set up a track in the school cafeteria for six weeks this summer, which is a big deal because the track is the size of a basketball court, and the kids can’t race just anywhere. It will give the teams the ability to continue to practice, learn, and innovate over the summer. Of note is that the Bryan County Middle High School is a rural South-Georgia school with a total 6-12 enrollment of less than 1,000 students. You can find info here: https://bcms.bryancountyschools.org/o/bcmhs
“For us, qualifying for the H2GP World Finals in Germany is an incredible milestone, as it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our students to compete on a global stage, representing our school and community with pride,” Mitchell said. “However, getting our two teams to Germany comes with significant travel expenses. The estimated cost for flights, hotel accommodations, and train fees for our 10 students and 3 sponsors is estimated to be around $42,000. Our students have fund-raised, and our school system have pitched in throughout the year for things like spares and upgrade parts, team T-shirts and jerseys, as well as snacks and drinks for all the racing teams competing on our campus. But the teams still need sponsorships from supporters to assist with travel expenses to Germany to make the experience possible for our students. That’s why we appreciate you sharing our story on FordPerfomance.com.”
We’re hoping Mustang clubs and the Ford enthusiast community would consider supporting the school as they prepare to race their hand-crafted Mustangs in Germany. BCMHS has an Amazon Wishlist https://a.co/8XYxNEW you can contribute to for providing the students with spares and various parts to help with efficiency, reliability and performance – as well as some fresh Mustang bodies. (Mitchell says their current ones are a little battle-worn.) And if your Ford club or group or someone you know would be interested in helping more, Mitchell asks to please reach out to him directly via email: wmitchell@bryan.k12.ga.us
As Mitchell puts it: “The H2GP Foundation itself is largely sponsored by Toyota. The cars were delivered with Toyota Mirai bodies on them. That wouldn’t do; they had to be replaced. Our equipment (car kits, Hydrogen Fuel Cells, the basketball-court sized racetrack) are sponsored by Hyundai. HMG is building one of their largest assembly plants 8 miles from our school. But Ford fans are everywhere and we want to represent them at the H2GP World Finals competition in Chemnitz, Germany, this August. Our students come from rural Georgia, and only one of them has a passport. Most have never traveled outside the state. They are excited, to say the least.”
We are excited for them. And when we found out that Joey Mitchell himself has owned multiple Ford products over the years – starting with a ’68 Fairlane, three different Mustangs, a ’13 Taurus SHO and even a ’86 Mercury Colony Park Wagon – we just had to get the word out that this Technology Advisor and STEM faculty member at Bryan County Middle High School in Georgia is a true-blue Blue Oval enthusiast whose students deserve some sponsorship and support. With your help, maybe by taking their H2GP Mustang racers overseas, they’ll be able to make their own Ford vs. The Imports racing victory dream come true!
FORD PERFORMANCE PHOTOS / COURTESY JOEY MITCHELL and H2GP
