INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) \u2014 Brooklyn Binegar, a junior at Hoosier College and Career Academy (HCCA), is balancing online high school with a demanding schedule as the youngest racer competing in Senior Faskarts at the Indianapolis Speedrome. <\/p>\n
The online public school, which serves Indiana students in grades 7-12 and is powered by K12, provides flexibility that allows her to pursue racing.<\/p>\n
Binegar dedicates more than 50 hours a week to preparing for and competing in races, which run from April through October. Her family has a long history in the sport, with generations involved in racing at the Indianapolis Speedrome.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo my grandpa actually raced back in the 70s, won rookie of the year. And then my cousins have been racing out there for 15, 16 years. And then I had the opportunity. They asked me if I wanted to race an extra go-kart. And then that\u2019s kind of how I got all started with it,\u201d Binegar said.<\/p>\n
The commitment requires constant work both on and off the track. \u201cIt takes, I mean, any day of the week. You have to work on the car, prep the car, and then on top of that with school, it\u2019s helped a lot with prep,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
During race season, Binegar follows a structured daily routine that blends academics with time at the track. \u201cSo when I wake up in the morning, I have to log on to the school. And school ends around 2:30. And then after that, it\u2019s straight to the garage,\u201d she said. She credited online learning with giving her the flexibility to pursue racing.<\/p>\n
Samantha Goldsmith, credit recovery principal at HCCA, said the school\u2019s online model is designed to support students with varied needs and schedules.<\/p>\n
\u201cStudents like Brooklyn are able to get the academics that they need from our teachers during live sessions, as well as the socialization that they need, but they\u2019re also able to have that flexibility,\u201d Goldsmith said.<\/p>\n
She added that the school serves students who may not thrive in traditional settings, including those with outside interests or other challenges. \u201cAnybody that a brick-and-mortar school isn\u2019t good for,\u201d she said. \u201cMaybe they have anxiety, maybe they\u2019ve been bullied, or maybe they have these outside opportunities they\u2019re really interested in pursuing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking ahead, Binegar hopes to expand her racing career and eventually give back to the sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really wanting to get out and start traveling,\u201d she said. \u201cI also want to get into helping the youth get into racing and especially women in motorsports because you don\u2019t see that very often.\u201d<\/p>\n