Greenville Independent School District — Greenville, TX
Following their historic international competition in Australia, the Greenville High School Iron Lions Solar Car Team was recently recognized at the Texas State Capitol during a special visit to Austin at the invitation of State Representative Brent Money.
On Wednesday, students and staff traveled to Austin in caravan with their world competition solar car, Aurora. The day included a tour of the Capitol grounds and interior, as well as lunch with Rep. Money and his team. Also during their visit to the Capitol, the Iron Lions were given the unique opportunity to meet with Texas Governor Greg Abbott, marking a significant moment of recognition for the team.
Students shared highlights from their recent journey in the Bridgestone World Solar Car Challenge, where they competed as the only high school team in the world against top university programs from across the globe. They spoke about racing across the Australian Outback, the engineering and teamwork behind building Aurora by hand, and the challenges they overcame throughout the competition. In recognition of their achievement, Governor Abbott presented the team with an official State of Texas proclamation, honoring the Iron Lions for representing Texas on the global stage.
The team also met with Rep. Money earlier in the day, where students reflected on their international experience and discussed the dedication, problem solving, and perseverance required to compete at such a high level.
“On behalf of the Texas House of Representatives, I was honored to host, along with the Governor, the team and coaches in Austin and to formally recognize how these exceptional young Texans embody the finest virtues of our state through their grit, innovation, and integrity,” said Rep. Brent Money. “They built a world class solar car with their own hands, persevered through every challenge with unwavering determination, and demonstrated once again that Greenville High School students can compete with anyone on the global stage.”
The visit to Austin marked a powerful milestone for the Iron Lions. What began as an extracurricular program in 2012 at Greenville High School has grown into an internationally recognized program, earning acknowledgment at the highest levels of state leadership and on the global stage. The Iron Lions continue to represent Greenville ISD, their community, and the state of Texas with pride.
The Iron Lions are led by instructors Joel Pitts, Lucas Kiowski and George Kroncke.
To read more about their trip from a former press release, read here: https://www.greenvilleisd.com/article/2364530
This story is provided by Greenville Independent School District. For media inquiries or further information, please contact the Communications Office at (903) 457-2500 or communications@greenvilleisd.com. Visit www.greenvilleisd.com for district updates.