Wm. Andrew Black, an accomplished senior at Woodland Park High School in Woodland Park, Colorado will graduate in May with not only a scholarship, but tickets to witness the 100th Running of the iconic Race to the Clouds on June 26th.
Graduating Summa Cum Laude, Black’s high school course work has included a wide range of mathematics, physics, and engineering classes. He has participated in both Knowledge Bowl and the Science Olympiad. While his academic work speaks for itself, instructors tout Black’s character, stating, “Andrew possesses an ironclad sense of integrity, humility, an impeccable work ethic, a sense of humor, attention to detail, and more.”
Beyond his academic pursuits, he has made time to seriously hone his craft as a musician, participating in every band program available, Marching, Pep, Symphonic and Jazz leading to a nomination as the most improved fine arts student.
Black plans to attend South Dakota School of Mines and Technology pursuing mechanical engineering and chemistry. Discussing his interest in mechanical engineering, he explains, “Looking at the world of motor sports specifically, engineers place a focus on producing safer cars to race with improvements to the body carriage and any areas susceptible to high impact collisions. This safety sector is a possible career path I could choose from, though I could also investigate the engineering process of maximizing efficiency of the race cars. Designing a new system that could allow for a more efficient use of fuel and energy, or chemically forming a new type of hyper-efficient fuel are areas offering opportunities for me to learn and innovate.”
The Climbing Higher Award will be given annually to an area high school senior who demonstrates a passion for pursuing a field related to motorsports.
