Morris Bailey, 17, is a senior at the Auto Academy. Morris loves working on cars and can’t wait until he can drive them. This summer, Morris traveled to Edison2 to help build the body of the Electric Very Light Car and worked in the EVX Team summer program, where he headed up the body team. A top student, Morris will be using his senior year to prepare for college. He wants to put his terrific math skills to use as an accountant.

Darmell Bailey joined the West Philly Hybrid X Team in 2009. He will enter his senior year at the Auto Academy this September. Darmell is on the electrical team of the EVX Team summer program. He hopes to continue learing about cars and computers as he prepares for graduation.

Gabe Carryon is a student at Drexel University and a new member of the West Philly Hybrid X Team. He joined the team, because he really likes working with hybrid vehicles and likes working with high school students. Gabe is originally from Chicago. He was born and raised in the Windy City, and later attended Howard University in Washington, DC where he majored in physics. He came to Drexel in 2009 to pursue a Master's Degree in electrical engineering with a Graduate Fellowship. His favorite car is the Ford GT from the 70s and 80s.

Justin Carter graduated from the West Philadelphia High School Automotive Academy in 2010 and will begin Community College of Philadelphia this winter. He has worked with the EVX Team for three years including the 2010 Summer Program where he worked to increase the full efficiency of the EVX Focus and replaced the turbo on the GT. He was a key Team member at the Michigan International Speedway this summer for the Knockout Round of the X PRIZE.

Ann Cohen serves as the Manager of the EVX Team. She recently retired from a long career as an AFSCME Union President representing City of Philadelphia employees. In her capacity with the Union, Cohen spearheaded the successful Joint AFSCME and City of Philadelphia Internship and Apprenticeship Program that, since 1994, has worked with scores of high school students. The Apprenticeship Program has moved over fifty (50) high school students into full time city employment in the Office of Fleet Management. She also served as a long time member of the Board of Directors of Philadelphia Academies, Inc. She continues as the Chairperson of the Occupational Advisory Board at the West Philadelphia Auto Academy. Prior to her involvement with PAI, she built the first passive solar house in the city of Philadelphia. She continues her support of AAME and her commitment to the environment as part of the West Philly Hybrid X Team.

Anita Davidson is in her fourth year as a member of the West Philly Hybrid X Team. She graduated high school in 2009 and is now a sophmore at George Washington University. This summer she traveled to the Michigan International Speedway for the Knockout Round of the X PRIZE. She was the Team's go-to driver, getting parts, coffee, and anything else that was needed. She also writes and networks on behalf of the Team, recently connecting us with Planet Forward and landing the Team an interview on NPR's Tell Me More. At college she is contemplating a Geography and Environmental Studies double major.

Sydney Dickerson, 15, is a junior at the Auto Academy. “I joined the EVX Team because I thought it would be a good experience and because I like cars,” she said. Sydney likes the way the team members work together building the cars. Sydney has acted as Master of Ceremonies for several educational events and participated in Toastmasters Leadership Program. After college, Sydney plans to attend law school, where her great presentation skills will be an asset.

Jerry DiLossi joined the staff at AAME in 2009 and has become an active member of the EVX Team. Jerry's career with the Philadelphia School District began in 1973 when he began work as an Automotive Mechanic, where he became the District's youngest Master Bus Mechanic. Jerry moved from the shop floor to the classroom, where he has taught automotive technology for the last 28 years. He quickly became a Team leader working on X PRIZE vehicles and recruiting students to the Team. He was part of the Team that traveled to the Michigan International Speedway for the X PRIZE, and he participated in the 2010 EVX Team summer program.

Mrs. Ruth Donnelly joined the West Philly Hybrid X Team in September 2009. She is assigned to the Automotive Academy as the Auto Career Tech Ed Specialist. “I bring little knowledge of cars,” says Mrs. Donnelly, “But I love working with kids.” She has worked for the Philadelphia School District for 16 years, most recently at Swenson Arts and Technical High School where she worked with special education students. She is a huge asset for the Automotive Program and the Team, helping out wherever and whenever she is needed and can be counted on to find everything that the Auto Tech teachers misplace. This summer she traveled with the Team to Michigan for the Knockouts of the X PRIZE. Mrs. Donnelly is also a founding member and Board Member of Mothers In Charge, a Philadelphia anti-violence program.

Brandon Ford is in 12th grade at the Auto Academy. He joined the Team two years ago and was a member of the 2010 Summer Program. Brandon worked to increase the fuel efficiency of the EVX Focus. He worked with Keith Sevcik, to measure, draw and machine the new Collet Pulley for the drivetrain. Brandon was a presenter at McKinley Technical High School in Washington, DC in 2010 and in January 2011, he was invited to sit in First Lady Michelle Obama's box for the State of the Union Address. This summer, Brandon is working for SEPTA.

Diamond Gibson is in 11th grade and 16-years-old.  He likes being on the team because it is a great place to work with other people.  “Mr. DiLossi told me to join the team because he saw that I was doing a lot of work in his class. He also told me that being on the Team would be a good way to get my life together," Diamond explained. The West Philly Hybrid X Team is happy to have Diamond back for his Junior year.

Michael Glover is a senior at West Philadelphia High School's Automotive Academy.  This is the second year Michael will be a member of the West Philly Hybrid X Team.  Michael is a member of West Philly's varsity football Team.  For the West Philly Speedboys, Michael plays offensive left tackle, one of the most important positions in the game.  This summer Michael worked as an Intern for SEPTA, where he worked on buses and trains. Michael is interested in going to college and playing football, but would love to work full time for SEPTA.

Stefon Gonzalez loves cars. More than that, he loves burnouts.  Stefon will be a senior on the EVX team in September. He is looking forward to attending The Haugerwarts School of Automotive Magic. Stef is the EVX Team's go-to mechanic when anything needs to be done on our competition cars. He is also frequently called upon to write for the Team and to speak on its behalf. This spring he was the Captain of the Conrad Foundation's Spirit of Innovation Team, which won the Clean Energy Division of the competition. At the end of the school year, he traveled to Lynchburg, VA to work in Edison2's shop building the body of the Electric Very Light Car. This summer he returns to SEPTA as an Intern. He reads and watches anything to do with cars. He loves the sight, sound and smell of burning rubber whenever a car races away from a stop, even though it is not the envrionmentally correct thing to like.

Simon Hauger has a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering and Masters of Science in Instruction from Drexel University. In 1998, he began the Automotive Academy’s innovative Electric Vehicle Program where he has lead students in designing, building and competing with alternative fuel vehicles. He has developed a network of partnerships to support this work. The team and the vehicles they create continue to attract unprecedented attention. Through the Team's participation in the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE Simon was able to show the world the potential of the students to whom he has dedicated his career. In September, Simon will take the lessons of the EVX Team to a new initative, The Sustainability Workshop, a senior year program for Philadelphia high school students that will be run in conjunction with the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

Curtis Henderson is 17-years-old and a 12^th grade student at the Auto Academy.  In his fourth year at Auto, Curtis joined the EVX Team last year to learn more about cars – especially hybrids – and to participate in all the Team’s activities including research, speaking and travel.  One of his favorite activities is the Philadelphia Auto Show that happens every year at the Convention Center.  He also hopes that his experience on the Team will enable him to fix his own car in the future.

Azeem Hill, a senior, is 17-years-old and Captain of the West Philly Hybrid X Team. He views his involvement on the West Philly Hybrid X Team as a pathway to success for himself and the broader community. "Our Team's work will bring positive attention to the things that are happening at the Auto Academy and at West Philly High," Azeem explained. Mr. Hill is a member of the PR Team and is frequently called upon to speak on behalf of the Team. He was a panelist at the Annual Leadership Conference of the Congressional Black Caucus, and spoke at MIT, University of Pennylvania, and Rutgers University. This summer he was part of our Team that traveled to the Michigan International Speedway for the X PRIZE. He also represented the team at a recent presentation at McKinely Technical High School and at a meeting at the White House with President Obama. Azeem is passionate about music and the politics of education. Besides being an active Team leader, Azeem is getting ready for SATs and the college application process.

Mr. Holt joined the faculty of the Automotive Academy in September. He moved to Philadelphia after teaching science and running a Science Club in Brooklyn, New York. While researching West Philadelphia High School, he came across information about the West Philly Hybrid X Team. He knew he wanted to become part of the team right away. Mr. Holt likes the educational aspect of the team because he likes chemistry and science.

Jerry started working with the West Philly Hybrid X Team in the fall of 2008 as a Drexel Co-op student where he was responsible for designing the control system for our competition vehicles. In June, Jerry will graduate from Drexel University with both a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering. He will remain with the team up for the duration of the X PRIZE. Jerry’s favorite part about working with the team is the freedom. “The team is open to all ideas and there are no boundaries in my ability to help.”

Jeffrey Johnson begins his junior year at the Auto Academy in September. Jeff joined the EVX Team last year and has worked in the shop and participated in Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program. This summer he is working on the body team in EVX summer program.

Dontei Johnson is in his first year at the Automotive Academy. He is 16 and a confident sophomore. Dontei joined the team because he had nothing to do after school. He really likes cars, especially the Aston Martin and the Ford GT. He is very good in school, especially in his math and science classes. Dontei wants to continue to do well in school and go to college to further his education.

Leon Johnson graduated from West Philadelphia High's  Auto Academy in June and will be attending Community College of Philadelphia in September. Leon was a member of the Spirit of Innovation Team this year. The team traveled to California to present our work on the Electric Very Light Car. Leon and the team came home from the competition with the winning prize. Leon is a very good student, and enjoys playing basketball out of school. Leon is on the design team in this year's summer program where he is designing suspension parts on CAD.

Lawrence Jones-Mahoney, 21, of Southwest Philadelphia graduated from the Academy of Automotive and Mechanical Engineering in June 2008. He is now in his third year at Drexel University as a Business Administration major, concentrating in Marketing. As of September 2009, he is at his co-op, a non-profit organization called the Philadelphia Children's Foundation. He is doing marketing and networking with schools across the city to help students access resources. Lawrence has been on the EV team from 10th to 12th grade and was the captain in his senior year. He has participated in the Tour de Sol and last summer was part of the Ford Model T Challenge. On participating in the X Prize, Jones-Mahoney says, “We have done so much with the K-1 Attack in terms of building a cool environmentally advanced car. The X Prize is the next logical step. It is hard to understand that if high school students can do this, why can’t the major car companies?”

Sekou Kamara was born in Newark, NJ where he lived until he was six. “I am following in my father’s footsteps, pursuing an interest in motor vehicles," he said. Sekou graduated from the West Philadelphia High School Auto Academy in 2010. He continues to work with the EVX Team on the cars and PR. He traveled with the Team to Michigan for the X PRIZE in June. Later in the summer he completed his second paid internship for the Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, where he worked on the rail side and on buses. Sekou would love to work full time for SEPTA. He has also applied to Community College and looks forward to starting college classes soon.

Keith Sevcik, who serves as the EVX Team Chief Research Engineer, just received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University. He had previously earned BS degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering, and a Masters in mechanical engineering, all from Drexel. Keith began his work with the team during the summer of 2008 with the Ford Model T Challenge. His extensive work with high school robotics teams made him the perfect candidate. When asked why he has stayed working with the team ever since, Keith answered, “This is the most sophisticated and well run program I have ever worked with. The team is really on to something.” Keith’s future plans include post doctoral work, teaching and inter-galactic exploration.

Adam Mitchell joined the EVX Team in September and was active in all team activities. At the end of the school year he traveled to Edison2 to help build the fiberglass body for the Electric Very Light Car. This summer he is working for SEPTA where he is learning about vehicles that are not very light at all. Adam begins his junior year at the Auto Academy in September.

Daniel Moore rejoined the EVX Team last year. He is 17, in 12^th grade and loves cars. The Saleen, the Dodge Charger, are examples of the fast cars that he really likes. In school math and auto are his favorite subjects. This summer he traveled with the Team to Michigan International Speedway for the Knockouts of the X PRIZE and then worked as a SEPTA Intern.

Shamere Palmer is a second-year-member of the West Philly Hybrid X Team. This is his third year in the Automotive Academy where he has excelled in both Automotive and English classes. Shamere joined the team in the middle of the X Prize competition, and became a valuable asset to the effort. During the summer program, he worked on improving the mileage of the EVX Focus. Currently a Junior, Shamere looks forward to building more cars and traveling with the team.

Ron Preiss is an ASE certified technician who has taught at AAME for seven years and has worked with the EV Team for the last six years. Ron has over twenty years experience in the private sector including franchise management. This year Ron assumes the role of School Sponsor and Team Coordinator of the EVX Team. Ron views the activies of the EVX Team as the future of the automotive industry. "My work with the Team keeps me and my students current with emerging technologies," said Preiss.

Kaya Presley, 18, graduated from the Automotive Academy in June and is headed to Community College of Philadelphia in September where he will be studying biology. Kaya was a member of the winning Spirit of Innovation Team that traveled to California for the Conrad Foundation’s technology and entrepreneurship competition this spring. This summer Kaya is working on the electrical team for the EVX summer program.

Jeremy is the owner of Ezodesign and designed this website. He graduated in 2002 from Georgia State University with a degree in International Affairs, and has been working professionally in the technology, design, and non-profit sectors for the past 16 years. Jeremy has developed web applications and user interfaces for several Fortune 500 companies and designs for small to medium size businesses and non-profit organizations. Jeremy is married to his beautiful wife, Karene, and lives in Bensalem, PA.

Kathleen “Ms. R.” Radebaugh is in her third year of teaching in the Philadelphia School District. She is a 2008 graduate of St. Joseph’s University where she served as sports editor for the University paper and a member of the rowing team. This is Ms. R’s third year on the Hybrid X Team. Her role is to help students with public relations, including blogging, letter writing, and speaking. She is also the Team’s environmental coordinator. This summer, she traveled with the Team to the Michigan International Speedway for the X PRIZE and then headed up research and writing for the EVX Team Summer Program. She is now teaching at the Steven A. Douglas High School, but remains an active and dedicated Team leader.  Ms. R is also very proud of the fact that she witnessed Roy Halladay's No Hitter this season with her students.

Khaleda Sharif joined the team in 2008. She served as a key infrastructure researcher in the Ford Model T Challenge and starred in the Team's Green Jobs podcast in 2009. She graduated from the West Philadelphia High School Auto Academy in 2010 and completed an internshiip with the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania last spring. This year she begins her college career at Penn State's Brandywine campus. Khaleda came to West Philadelphia from Bangladesh in 2000 and continues to make the EVX Team proud.

Momo Shen completed her second year as a member of the EVX Team and graduated from the West Philadelphia High School Auto Academy in June 2010. This year she entered Penn State attending classes at the Brandywine campus.  She hopes her work as a writer for the PR Team and her blogging about the Team's experiences will help with all the writing she will have to do in college. She is a West Philadelphia resident who came to the United States three years ago from China.

Rameak Taylor,19, of West Philadelphia graduated from the Academy of Automotive and Mechanical Engineering in 2009 and is a sophmore Alvernia College in Reading, PA, where he is a marketing major and a LaCrosse player. Rameak has been on the EVX Team for the past three years and this summer traveled with the Team to the Knockout Round of the X PRIZE. After the X PRIZE, Rameak worked at Philadelphia International Airport in the Marketing Department.

Jacques Wells, the former Co-Captain of the West Philly Hybrid X Team has begun his college career at Penn State's Berks County campus as an engineering student. Jacques graduated from the Auto Academy in June, 2010 and concluded at 2 1/2 year internship with the City of Philadelphia's Office of Fleet Management. At Penn State he has been tapped to head-up the hybrid vehicle program on campus. We look forward to Jacques working with the EVX Team on his breaks from college and his taking his knowledge of hybrid vehicles to other parts of the state.

Ciera Williams, 17, is a Senior at the Auto Academy. She joined the West Philly Hybrid X Team after being inspired by friends and teachers. Last year she participated in the Young Entrepreneurs Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. She will put her business acumen to work on the PR and Marketing Team. Ciera also completed the Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program. She worked on the mechanical and body teams in the EVX Team summer program in 2011.

Samantha Wright, 19, of North Philadelphia graduated from AAME in June 2008 and is now enrolled at Community College of Philadelphia, where she will shortly complete her Associate's degree. She will continue with college in order to become a teacher. Wright conitues to work with the EVX Team, preparing and delivering presentations and working on the cars. This summer she traveled with theTeam to Michigan for the X PRIZE. She also participated in the 2010 EVX Team Summer Program where she helped design a Green Technology High School.