Drive Electric Earth Month
Educational EV Showcase
Trotwood, OH
Apr 22, 2022

Event Report

Earth Day and Trotwood-Madison High School on April 22, was an exciting and emotional event. Our celebration was sponsored by Plug In America, Electric Vehicle Association, Sierra Club, EVHybridNoire, Wells Fargo, and Normal Now (sponsored by Electrify America).

Drive Electric Dayton delivered a 45 minute presentation to 150 students of Trotwood-Madison High School. Our main presenter was Tim Benford, President of Drive Electric Dayton. 

The event was organized by Rap Hankins, EV Equity Advisor, Drive Electric Dayton. Erynn Hayes, Agriscience and Science Teacher, Testing Coordinator organized the event inside the High School.

“The Dirty Truth About Combustion Engine Vehicles” video was presented after Tim Benford’s highly educational slide show on the importance of EV’s and their role in saving the planet.

The students were treated to chauffeured rides on the school’s campus where they rode in: Teslas, VW ID4, Chevy Bolt, Nissan Leaf, and a Polestar. Students were given gourmet popsicles (from Sweet P’s Handcrafted Ice Pops, a local African-American owned business in Dayton, Ohio). 

We presented the school district with books, The Electric Car in America, 1890-1922, Kerry Segrave, and Speed and Scale, John Doerr, to be used by teachers in the High School to expand their curriculum and to be placed in the school’s library.

The reason I chose Trotwood-Madison High School is because the City of Trotwood is a disadvantaged and underserved community of 24,000 people that has fewer than three EV chargers within its 30 square miles. It was important that Earth Day be used as a teaching tool to educate the students on the benefits of EV’s as well to explain that the coming socialization of EV’s and the burgeoning green economy is an opportunity for students to participate in jobs of the future including: automotive design and development, manufacturing, infrastructure development, EV maintenance, scientific research, and sales and support. 

During the presentation, students were introduced to African American role models: Crystal Windham, interior designer of Cadillac’s first fully electric EV, the Lyriq; Richard Patterson, former Tesla Model S designer and first Black manufacturer and designer of a Supercar; and Rap Hankins of Trotwood, Ohio, Electric Vehicle Champion of the Year, 2021.

One of many touching moments was when I asked a student what did she know about EV’s. Her response was telling.

“I know Tesla makes cars and I know my parents will never be able to afford one.”

Events like the one we held at Trotwood-Madison are essential if we are to build racial and economic equity and begin the process of making EV’s affordable, accessible and reliable to ALL.

We all had a great time and Drive Electric Dayton has been asked to return for a second annual Earth Day event (scheduled for April 21, 2023) at Trotwood-Madison High School. We are also planning EV Me Out to the Ballgame where we will show up to 40 EV’s before a Dayton Dragons game on June 25th. The students of Trotwood-Madison High School have been invited to share the event with us. 

Rap Hankins

EV Equity Advisor, Drive Electric Dayton

EV’s FOR ALL

photo by: Jan Hankins Students of Trotwood-Madison High School enjoying Ice Pops, provided by Sweet P's Handcrafted Ice Pops, a Black-owned business in Dayton, Ohio. EV's present: Tesla, Chevy Bolt, Nissan Leaf, and Polestar.

More photos from this event.

Event Description

Registered Attendees

There are currently 10 attendees registered.

Owners of These Vehicles Have Registered To Attend

Registered attendees report 201,175 electric miles driven.