Area resident Kyle Wurtzel, who pursues a hobby as a fuel drag racer, recently visited the Washington STEM Academy in Warsaw to talk about his car and racing. Photo provided.

News Release

WARSAW — Kyle Wurtzel, a partner at Heartwood Planning Group and a private wealth financial adviser, visited Washington STEM Academy to not only share career readiness with students, but also to lead a STEM activity around motion with third-grade students.

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Wurtzel is also a professional top fuel drag racer, so he spent time with students sharing more about his car, his career as a financial adviser and what jobs are available to those who want to take racing beyond just a hobby sport.

“The kids love learning from people they don’t get to interact with every day, especially in careers they could do someday,” said third-grade teacher Christi Overman. “It’s critical to our schools that community members help mentor our kids by teaching them.”

Following his talk, Wurtzel, with his wife, Julia Porter, Washington STEM instructional coach Derek Pike and lab assistant Emma Coleman, led a hands-on activity where students worked with matchbox cars to improve their own personal “racing times” utilizing skills like forming a hypothesis and problem solving.

Wurtzel, who has a daughter at Washington STEM Academy, valued the opportunity to not only give back to other students, but to share more about his career and his race car with students.

“It was important for me to do this to promote the hobby that I’m passionate about to a younger generation,” said Wurtzel. “Additionally, it was exciting to share more about my job at Heartwood and let students know what careers are possible. Our partners came up with the name, Heartwood, because it is the pillar of the tree, so we aim to be pillars in our community as well.”