Hyundai Expands its Commitment to STEM Education Across the United States

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Mar 23, 2026, 10:07 ET

Hyundai expands STEM education initiatives across four U.S. states central to its manufacturing and innovation footprint
Expanded partnerships with the STEP Foundation and the SAE Foundation engage thousands of pre-K through 12^th grade students in hands‑on engineering learning
Hyundai‑supported Georgia Hydrogen Grand Prix prepares students for emerging hydrogen and mobility careers

SAVANNAH, Ga., March 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai is deepening its investment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education through Hyundai Hope, the company's corporate social responsibility initiative focused on preparing the next generation of innovators. Building on years of successful pilot programming, Hyundai is expanding its partnerships with the STEP Foundation and the SAE Foundation in Alabama, California, Georgia, and Michigan. These regions play a vital role in Hyundai's U.S. operations.

The winning teams showing off their medals at the Georgia Hydrogen Grand Prix at Bryan County Middle School in Pembroke, Ga. on March 11, 2026. (Photo/Hyundai)

Students participate in the JetToy Challenge at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley in Huntington Beach, Calif. on Jan. 29, 2026. (Photo/Hyundai)

Supporting Communities Across Hyundai's U.S. Operations
Supporting the communities where its employees live and work remains a core priority for Hyundai, driving investments that open doors for future innovators. By bringing high‑quality STEM programming to regions anchored by Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) in Alabama, Hyundai Motor North America's headquarters in California, Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia, and Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (HATCI) in Michigan, Hyundai aims to strengthen local educational opportunities and provide students with the skills needed for future careers, including those within the automotive and mobility industries.

"At Hyundai, we believe education is one of the most powerful drivers of opportunity and long‑term success for every child," said Brandon Ramirez, director, corporate social responsibility, Hyundai Motor North America. "That belief is central to our Progress for Humanity vision and guides our commitment to working alongside trusted partners to expand access to high‑quality STEM education. By supporting hands‑on, engaging learning experiences for students across the country, we aim to spark curiosity, build critical skills, and help prepare the next generation for the careers and challenges of tomorrow."

STEP Foundation Partnership: Hydrogen‑Powered Innovation in the Classroom
Hyundai and the STEP Foundation, formerly the H2GP Foundation, hosted the second annual Georgia Hydrogen Grand Prix featuring the Hyundai RC Program. Through this initiative, middle and high school students learn engineering principles, renewable energy concepts, and automotive technologies by designing and racing hydrogen‑powered RC cars.

This year, 19 teams from four Bryan County, Georgia, schools competed in stock, modified, and hybrid categories. Winning teams advanced to the June 2026 World Championships in Bulle, Switzerland. The program reinforces career and technical education (CTE) readiness by teaching practical skills in project management, design, teamwork, and industry collaboration.

The Hyundai RC Program is also active in Alabama, California, and Michigan, with state finals races taking place later this spring.

SAE International^®A World in Motion (AWIM®) Program
Hyundai has expanded its partnership through the SAE Foundation to bring the A World In Motion® (AWIM) pre-K through 12^th grade STEM curriculum to Alabama, California, and Michigan, complementing its ongoing work in Georgia. AWIM offers hands‑on, inquiry‑based learning that nurtures problem‑solving abilities, teamwork, and real‑world engineering skills. AWIM has been proven to increase student performance and attitudes toward STEM as well as teacher preparedness to deliver quality STEM education in a traditional setting. The curriculum also plays a key role in developing the future workforce, with students exhibiting an 80% increase in awareness of/interest in an engineering career after participation.

Across Montgomery Public Schools in Alabama, Hyundai and SAE are implementing the AWIM Gravity Cruiser Challenge for around 1,000 sixth-grade students, which involves designing and constructing a vehicle that is powered by gravity and explores concepts such as energy, inertia, and momentum. In Georgia, the Skimmer Challenge continues to reach more than 800 fourth-grade students in Bryan County, who build fan‑powered paper sailboats while learning concepts such as surface area and design. In Michigan, around 75 third-grade students will participate this spring in the Straw Rockets Challenge, where they make and test rockets made from drinking straws, and about 40 first-grade students participated in the AWIM Rolling Things Challenge, where they explored ramp height and vehicle weight of toy cars.

In southern California, the AWIM JetToy Challenge was introduced at several Boys & Girls Clubs and the TGR Learning Lab Anaheim. Students were taught key engineering concepts, including friction, measurement, and performance criteria, before applying them to build and refine balloon‑powered cars designed to meet specific performance goals. Participants also enjoyed an opportunity to see the all‑new IONIQ 9 up close.

Hyundai Hope
Hyundai Hope is the corporate social responsibility initiative from Hyundai Motor North America, committed to the principle of Progress for Humanity and the goal of improving the well-being of society. Hyundai Hope dedicates time, talent, and resources to nonprofit organizations that support health, safety, education, and sustainability, fostering positive growth in communities. For more information, visit www.HyundaiHope.com.

Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor America offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles, while supporting Hyundai Motor Company's Progress for Humanity vision. Hyundai has significant operations in the U.S., including its North American headquarters in California, the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama assembly plant, the all-new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, several cutting-edge R&D facilities and more than 855 independent dealers. These operations are part of Hyundai Motor Group, which is investing $26 billion in the U.S. from 2025 to 2028. For more information, visit www.hyundainews.com.