cougar strong racing 000
​7th grade team

Coaches: Matthew Graham & Chris Morris
Cougar Strong Racing 000 Team Photo
2024-2025

amaya acuna-martinez
​team position:

Hello, my name is Amaya Acuna-Martinez I have been selected to be on the 7th grade 000 team on Cougar Strong Racing for the 24-25 season. I joined the team because I loved the experience I had last season. The position I'm most interested in Go-Pro manager.

Fun Fact: This will be my fourth year participating in Greenpower USA

jacob bradfield
​team position:
​Pit crew

Hello my name is Jacob Bradfield and I'm in 7th grade. I wanted to join the team because I enjoyed being on the team last year and I enjoy working on things and engineering things. The position I am most interested in is pit crew chief or pit crew.

Fun Fact: I like the outdoors and sports.

charley elder
​team position:

 Hi, my name is Charley Elder. This will be my second year in cougar strong  racing. I want to be a driver again like my 6th grade year, but if I can’t I want to be on pit crew. I am excited that I got accepted and I think I’m gonna enjoy this year now that I know how it works. I love meeting all the new people that will be in this group.

Fun fact, I love to garden and fishing. I also have lots of stuff in my garden like peppers, watermelon, strawberries, and more.​

piper graham
​team position :

My name is Piper Graham I am currently in 7th grade. I wanted to be on Cougar Strong because I had so much fun the previous year with my friends and my dad. I can’t wait for another year. I would like to be a data manager or my previous role, Team Leader.

FUN FACT: I am a competition cheerleader for the LCMS Blue team, and I am on TumbleTown 2’s competition gymnastics team.

maylee highland
​team position: 

Hi, my name is Maylee Highland and I am currently in the 7th grade. This will be my second year on the team. I wanted to join the CSR team because I had so much fun last year with my team. I had learned new things, and made new friends. While last year I got to drive I hope to have that opportunity again this year.

FUN FACT: I am on the LCMS competition cheer team

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nicholas kim
​team position:

Hello, I am Nicholas Kim I am in the 7th grade. I wanted to join Cougar Strong Racing because I’ve participated in GreenPower in the past and I want to keep doing it. I am not a new member of CSR, this is my second year on the team. The positions that I’m interested in are driver, data manager, or pusher.

Fun Fact: I am a multisport athlete.

miles maxwell
​team position :

My name is Miles Maxwell and I am currently in 7th grade. This year is my second year on the Cougar Strong Racing team. I wanted to join the team again this year because Iearned so much last year and enjoyed being a part of the team. I was a driver last year for CSR and I would like to drive again this year. If I cannot be a driver, I would like to be on the pit crew.

Fun fact: My dad and brother both raced go karts and I have two different colored eyes.

cash morris
​team position:

My name is Cash Morris. I am in 7th grade and this will be my second year as a member of Cougar Strong Racing. I have wanted to be a part of Cougar Strong Racing since I was a member of Power Surge Racing at Long Cane Elementary in 4th and 5th grade. I always looked up to the Cougar Strong team and couldn’t wait to get my chance to become a Cougar Strong member.
My first year as a member of the Cougar Strong 555 team, I was given the opportunity to serve as Pit Crew Chief. I would be honored to have the opportunity to serve as Pit Crew Chief for the Cougar Strong 000 team. I learned so much last year but I believe there is still much more for me to learn and accomplish in the role of Pit Crew Chief for 000.
FUN FACT: My favorite things to do are fishing and riding my dirt bike.

joshua ngafoe
​team position:

My name is Josh Ngafoe and I'm in the 7th grade. I joined Cougar Strong Racing because I wanted to learn more about engineering. This will be my 2nd year on the team. Another reason I wanted to join the team is because I enjoyed my last year on Cougar Strong Racing. 
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Fun Fact: I love tubing.

arianna rebennack
​team position:

My name is Arianna Rebenack. I am in the 7th grade and this is my second year on the team. I wanted to rejoin the team because I had alot of fun on the team last year. I would like to be on the marketing team or be a driver.

FUN FACT: I’m very omniverted.

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brooklyn riggins
​team position:

My name is Brooklynn Riggins and I am in the 7th grade. I joined Cougar Strong Racing because I wanted to advance my experience in engineering. I have been on the Cougar Strong Racing team for two years now. Positions I am interested in are pitcrew, marketing manager, and data manager. 

Fun fact: I like to play softball

tate schmitt
​team position:

Hello, I am Tate Schmitt and I am in the 7th grade. I wanted to join Cougar Strong Racing bcause it is a STEM program that helps kids with engineering and working with electric powered vehicles. I think it is a good experience to have. I am not new to the team. This will be my second year with CSR. I'm interested in the positions of pit crew and pusher for this year. 

FUN FACT: I placed second in the state at the Beginners Bash in wrestling last year. 

christian swanson
​team position:

Hi my name is Christian Swanson and im in the 7th grade. It's my second year on the team and I wanted to join the team again this year because I thought it was very fun last year. Last year my job was pusher and this year I want be a driver.  My favorite thing about being on the team is talking to my friends and traveling to out of town race events.

FUN FACT:  I play 3 sports: golf, wrestling, and cross country. Also I'm part mexican.

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blake wilson
​team position:

My name is Blake E. Wilson and I’m in seventh grade and I wanted to be on the CSR team because I love to travel, race, build, make new friends, and have fun. And I have been on the CSR team before. I'm interested in being on media team. I excited to win in Talladega this year last year we got fourth place so this year we rooting for first. We have more experience this year so we are hoping for the best.

FUN FACT: I like old cars. One of my favorites is a 1950 Studebaker. Another is a Model T ford made in 1909, and a Model A Ford made in the 1930s. 

 Team coach / teacher - Matthew graham

Mr. Graham created the very first Greenpower Tech class and GreenpowerUSA team in Troup County in the fall of 2017. Over the last 7 seasons the program has grown to 3 teams and emerged as the most dominant middle school GreenpowerUSA program in the United States. His teams have earned the following honors...

999 Team - Started Fall 2019
  • National Champions: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023 - Intermediate Modified Division
  • Season Points Champion 2022, 2023 - Int. Mod. Div.
  • 2nd place national finish 2022 - Int. Mod. Div.
000 Team - Started Fall of 2017
  • National Runner up 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024  Int. Modified Div.
  • National Champions 2022 - Int. Mod. Div.
  • Season Points Champion 2024 - Int. Mod. Div.
555 Team: - Started Fall of 2020
  • National Champion 2021 - Intermediate Stock Div.
  • 3rd place National Finish & Season Points Champion 2022
  • Season Points Champion 2023, 2024 - Intermediate. Stock Div.

Mr. Graham's goal is to serve as an ambassador for GreenpowerUSA in Troup County and the surrounding areas to increase awareness & participation in this exciting and engaging STEM program for elementary, middle, & high school students. He looks forward to building on last year's success to achieve even greater goals for year 7 of this program at LCMS!

 assistant coach - chris morris

Chris Morris got involved with Greenpower in the fall of 2017 when his daughter Chloe joined the team as a 6th grade student. He began volunteering in various capacities and quickly became an integral part of the team. His contributions have made a tremendous impact on the success of our program across the three years in which his daughter Chloe was a member. After she moved up to the high school Chris decided to continue serving as an assistant coach with Cougar Strong Racing because he believed in the value of the experience for our students. He is solely responsible for all the modifications and upgrades found on the inside of our race trailer, and he has been a great mentor to our team members. The 2023-2024 season will be the seventh season for our program and he has been there every step of the way, having never missed a race event in 7 years. We are thankful for the time he has invested in our program and hope he stays with us for many years to come.