Building Cars From Cardboard: What We Saw at the Genesis Youth Workshop
Every once in a while, this job takes us beyond horsepower, new vehicle features, and zero to 60 test times. Getting to see automakers give back to the communities they serve, and getting to share those stories, is one of my favorite parts of this job. Honestly, those are often some of my favorite experiences. During a week of youth programming with Genesis and the Genesis Inspiration Foundation in the Washington, D.C. area, our son Tucker got to take part in a hands-on car design workshop led by Brandon Ramirez, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Hyundai and Genesis. The kids were challenged to build their own cars using upcycled materials, and watching all of their wildly different ideas come to life was easily one of the highlights of the week.
Trading Worksheets for Wheels at the Genesis Youth Workshop
At the YMCA Alexandria, Genesis Gives teamed up with Child Creativity Lab to run this hands-on STEAM event. The Genesis youth workshop drew more than 40 elementary school students. The theme was future mobility. That’s a fancy way of saying “the cars we might drive someday.” Before any building started, the kids got to climb around an all-electric Genesis. They peeked at the quiet motor and the wide-open floor where an engine used to live. You could practically see the wheels turning behind their eyes.
Then came my family’s favorite part. The team handed the students a pile of upcycled materials; then challenged the kids to design their own cars. Bottle caps became headlights, and a jug turned into a chassis. They were taught that Genesis’ motto is “See a problem; fix the problem.” Tucker doesn’t enjoy loading groceries, so he designed a car with an arm that reaches out from the “frunk,” grabs the bags, and loads them into the trunk. Watching an 8-year-old defend his engineering choices to a group of grown-ups is the kind of lesson you can’t get in a classroom. And as homeschool parents, this type of hands-on learning is something we really value.
Why the recycled parts matter
I really loved that the kids were challenged to use cast-off materials. No two kits were exactly alike, so they had to get creative, solve problems, and even work together. They traded and shared materials as they went. It was a simple way to introduce sustainability. Best of all, it let them use their imaginations.
These kids were wrestling with the same puzzle real automakers face right now. The challenge is how to build something clever while wasting less. They just happened to be doing it with glue sticks and imagination. By the time the activity ended, every table had a story to tell. You could tell how proud the kids were of their work.
How the Genesis Youth Workshop Gives Back
The Genesis youth workshop was one piece of a much bigger effort. Genesis Gives, the community arm of Genesis Motor America, has donated more than $3 million since 2022. That money supports youth sports and STEAM education in communities that need it. During this same stretch in the D.C. area, Genesis also supported the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation. That group pairs academic help and life-skills coaching with tennis for kids who might not otherwise get the chance.
The Genesis Inspiration Foundation also awarded $75,000 in grants to local arts organizations. Part of it went to the Children’s Chorus of Washington. That gift keeps its inclusive music program open to K–12 students across the region. Another share supported ASO Sympatico. This partnership pairs the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra with Alexandria City Public Schools. It brings free music education to students of every ability. Del Ray Artisans landed funding for its hands-on STEAM classes, too. Working professionals teach them by blending real-world lessons with creative projects. Since 2018, that foundation alone has given more than $16 million to youth arts programs nationwide.
What We Loved Most About Genesis’ Investment in Kids
Brandon Ramirez leads the corporate social responsibility team for Genesis Motor America. He also sits on the Genesis Inspiration Foundation board. Helping young people build confidence and creativity, he explained, is “central to our commitment to the communities we serve.”
As a family that spends most of its time judging cars on how well they haul kids and gear, it was refreshing to watch an automaker pour that same energy into the kids themselves. Genesis sells cars in these neighborhoods. It clearly feels a duty to invest right back into them. That’s the kind of story we love to shine a light on here at GT: Garage Talk®.
If you want to learn more about the programs Genesis supports, you can visit Genesis Gives and the Genesis Inspiration Foundation online. And if your own kids come home wanting to build a car out of the recycling bin, I say hand them the tape and get out of the way.