Luke Behar, an eighth-grade student at Signal Mountain Middle High School and a member of Boy Scout Troop 116, is leading an Eagle Scout project that merges his passion for motorsports with STEM education. Partnering with Mountain Education Fund Teacher of the Year William Greer, Mr. Behar and his team of students are raising funds to purchase an electric vehicle (EV) kit, build a race car and compete in the Green Prix competition in the spring of 2026.
A seasoned kart racer, Mr. Behar recognized a lack of STEM-focused motorsports programs in the community.
"There aren’t enough opportunities for students to explore motorsports through STEM,” he said. “I wanted to create something that combines my love of racecars with hands-on learning. My goal is to establish this as a long-term STEM club, giving future students the chance to gain real-world experience in engineering, teamwork and problem-solving as we design, build and race an electric go-kart.”
The team plans to construct an F24 electric race car from a kit, with funding needed by early May to ensure timely ordering. The club is open to both middle and high school students and currently meets every Tuesday from 3-3:45 p.m., providing students with hands-on experience in mechanics, engineering and collaboration—valuable skills for college applications and future careers, officials said.
To bring this project to life, the team is seeking donations and sponsorships from individuals and businesses. Contributions can be made via check (payable to Signal Mountain Middle High School Grand Prix Racing Team) or by credit card through the Givebacks platform, accessible on the home page of the Signal Mountain Middle High School website at https://smmhs.hcde.org/.
Sponsorship Opportunities:
• $500 Sponsorship – Social media recognition and event advertising; and
• $1,000 Sponsorship – Social media recognition, event advertising and a decal on the race car.
The Chattanooga Grand Prix brings together elementary, middle and high school students from across the region as they showcase their self-built electric race cars.
"Join us in supporting Luke Behar and his team in launching this innovative STEM initiative," officials said.
For more information or to contribute, visit the Givebacks store on the Signal Mountain Middle High School website at https://smmhs.hcde.org/ or contact:
Luke Behar – lukebehar@gmail.com; or
William Greer – greer_william@hcde.org.