Michelin Junior Challenge Design Competition REWARDS STUDENTS

Global industry leaders joined together recently to reward deserving students. 

In collaboration with the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival, the Michelin Junior Challenge Design competition was open to all Beaufort County high school students and is designed to encourage students to learn about the mobility and automotive industries in South Carolina.

Entries by individuals and teams of students were reviewed and selected by a distinguished jury of eight of the world’s top automotive designers and industry experts.

“I believe this is one of the few events that brings this number of heads of design together,” said Lindsey Harrell, president of the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival.  “It’s such a tremendous experience for these students – to interact with and present to industry leaders of this caliber, and we’re seeing this contest have a direct impact on what these students see of their futures.”

Layla Dupont of Battery Creek High School was the overall winner of the fourth annual competition, “Land, Air & Sea.” 

A top design was selected from each of the high schools, with scholarship awards of $500 for each finalist. The overall winner also earned an additional $500 scholarship.   

“We presented an added challenge to the students this year – design for an end user that wasn’t them,” said Michelin’s Ben Ebel.  “We asked them to design a vehicle specifically for a wheelchair user, and I think that added to the interest and excitement for the students.”

The winning entries from each school were Dupont; Evan Moreno (Beaufort High School); Zachary Seidner (Bluffton High School); Said Gonzalez (Hilton Head Island High School); Erik Adame (May River High School); and Taniyah Brown, Tatiana Nix and Kamarae Smalls (Whale Branch Early College High School).  

“The Hilton Head Concours is honored to continue to partner with Michelin on this program,” said Harrell.  “The growing interest each year shows the impact it’s having on the students in Beaufort County, and the support from industry leaders is truly remarkable.  The entrants were impressive, and we look forward to continuing to build on this program as part of our charitable mission at Driving Young America.”