Bloodhound SSC Ambassador Jonathan Reed tells us why he wanted to volunteer.
So new year and all that brings new challenges and goals for me, since we are only 3 months into the new year I am slowly plodding away at my goals for 2013. However I have had the excellent opportunity in my current job at Wirebelt to work on a project which has not only motivated me, but has also made me realise how much I can help other students and even teachers out. The project is question was ‘Bringing the Bloodhound SSC Education Experience to Swale’ (www.bloodhoundswale.co.uk) – I was involved in this project in a massive way by creating the website, all the marketing materials, social media activities and general promotion and advertising of the event. I was luckily enough to have worked on this project and see the car in the flesh and all I can say is wow! It is a 12.8m long x 3.5m high beast!
Just a quick background about Bloodhound SSC. Bloodhound SSC is the UK’s current attempt at breaking our own land speed record, set by Andy Green and Thrust SSC. They are trying to break the land speed record not by a few mph but a thumping 300mph and deliver a car capable of 1000mph. However breaking the land speed record is around 3rd and 4th on the project agenda, the main aim of the project is excite, enthuse and inspire children and even adults about Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). This video should help to understand the project some more:
I must have watched this video about 20 plus times, but every time I watch it, it excites me and makes me want to shout about the project to anyone that would listen.
The Bloodhound SSC team have developed there own educational programme that is running alongside the whole project so that they can promote STEM subjects throughout there journey. So working with (BW Fulliment) I was luckily enough to be able to organise and help bring the Bloodhound SSC education event to Swale. The event was a three day education experience for over 200 students from the ages of 6-18, our aim was to excite, enthuse and inspire children and even adults about STEM subjects.
So being becoming an ambassador whats the story?
- What do I have to do? – the answer was pretty simply inspire, educated and excite children about STEM subjects, by going to schools, events or organising my own events incorporation with my company.
- What is an ambassador? – someone who dedicates there time for free to inspire, educated and excite children about STEM subjects.
- How do I become a Bloodhound ambassador? – firstly become a STEM ambassador and then join the Bloodhound ambassador programme
So all within a week I am now a registered STEMNET ambassador, and a Bloodhound ambassador!
My aim for becoming a ambassador for STEMNET and Bloodhound is simple, I want to inspire school children about Engineering and Technology, show them how much fun they can have. At school we all thought they were boring subjects, you never actually saw how a subject related to a job, but with Bloodhound I can show students if they focus on engineering then they could potentially be involved in a project similar to Bloodhound one day! Even if I only inspire one student I will know that I have achieved something!
I will continue to blog about my progress in the ambassador programme with all the events and schools I attend, as this is a very exciting project to be involved in!
You can read Jonathan's blogs at www.jonathanreed.co.uk
