Southwest Georgia students from three school districts met in Bainbridge for Georgia Tech’s Advanced Manufacturing Pathways (AMP) Tri-District Race, putting student designed, 3D-printed and machined cars head to head while showcasing real workforce skills, including CAD design, prototyping, data analysis, and manufacturing.
Georgia Tech’s Advanced Manufacturing Pathways (AMP) program recently brought students from Bainbridge, Thomas County Central, and Thomasville City together in Bainbridge, Georgia, for the program’s first Tri-District Race. Students competed with custom cars they designed and built as part of the AMP curriculum, a hands-on pathway that introduces advanced manufacturing through programming, digital design, 3D printing, machining, and performance testing.
What Students Learned
AMP’s signature project is simple and powerful, students engineer the fastest possible car from the ground up, learning how to:
- Design with CAD tools, then iterate on prototypes,
- Translate digital models into physical parts through 3D printing and machining,
- Use data to optimize speed and performance, and
- Apply real manufacturing workflows under real time constraints.
In the accompanying video highlights, students describe the excitement of taking something “from online into real life,” while regional industry voices emphasize the long-term payoff, growing local talent that is more likely to build careers and stay in Southwest Georgia.
Community Partners and Regional Momentum
The Tri-District Race was hosted at Southern Regional Technical College in Bainbridge, with community support that helped turn the competition into a true regional celebration. Georgia Tech reports AMP is already expanding, adding three more Southwest Georgia schools and doubling program reach.
Award highlights
Georgia Tech’s event recap includes race results and awards such as Best Engineering, Best in Show, and People’s Choice, reflecting both speed and design excellence across teams.
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Application Workshop Announcement Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has officially announced the 2026 Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program Competition, a critical funding opportunity designed to stabilize housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness across Georgia. What Is the ESG Program? The ESG Program, funded through the State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless (HTF) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development via U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, supports: Street outreach Emergency shelter Rapid re-housing Homelessness prevention Related housing stabilization services Awards are provided to local governments and nonprofit organizations, which then deliver services locally. DCA does not provide direct assistance to individuals or households. This program operates within a continuum of care model, helping individuals and families transition from crisis to housing sustainability. 2026 ESG Competition Timeline Application Opens: Monday, April 13, 2026 Application Deadline: Friday, May 8, 2026 at 5:00 PM All applications and required documentation must be submitted by the deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted. Full competition details will be posted on DCA’s ESG webpage: https://dca.georgia.gov/affordable-housing/homelessness-assistance/emergency-solutions-grants In-Person ESG Application Workshops DCA will host four in-person workshops covering: Eligible activities Application process Required organizational documentation Submission timelines Compliance expectations February 18, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 11:45 AM This session is exclusively available to registrants of the DCA Homeless and Special Needs Housing Symposium in Savannah, GA. March 10, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM Microbusiness Enterprise Center 230 S. Jackson Street Albany, GA 31701 Click Here to Register March 17, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM Advocates for Children 827 Joe Frank Harris Pkwy SE Cartersville, GA 30120 Click Here to Register March 24, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM River Edge Behavioral Health 175 Emery Highway Macon, GA 31217 Click Here to Register Who Should Attend? Local government housing administrators Nonprofit executive directors Homeless service providers Continuum of Care partners Grant writers and compliance staff Housing advocates and policy professionals Attendance is strongly encouraged for both new applicants and returning subrecipients. Questions? For ESG Program assistance, contact: Tiffany Bowers-Weller – Tiffany.Weller@dca.ga.gov LaDrina M. Jones – LaDrina.Jones@dca.ga.gov If your organization is preparing to apply, now is the time to begin gathering required documentation and reviewing eligibility requirements. With a competitive funding window and firm deadline, early preparation will position your agency for success.
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