Taking the initiative has helped Charles Wu become a leader in STEM in his high school and community. In 2025 as a junior at Beckman High School in Tustin, California, Charles combined his passions for cars and engineering by forming a student-led team – the first in his school’s history – to enter STEM Racing, formerly F1 in Schools.
Charles and his team had great success, winning third place at the STEM Racing Nationals and advancing to the STEM Racing World Finals competition, held in Singapore, where they finished among the top 32 of more than 80 teams and won the Sponsorship and Marketing Award. As a result of his efforts, Charles has also been nominated as one of the 2025 Most Influential People in Orange County. Along the way, Charles and his team learned many lessons on designing and building CO2-propelled short track miniature racing cars and about marketing their team. We talked with Charles to learn how his team’s effort came together, what elements helped them succeed, and what they are looking forward to in the 2026 season.
How did you decide to ask Roland DGA for sponsorship?
Team SW1FT leader Charles Wu: In late 2024, our team had a very limited budget and urgently needed support to produce our pit display. At the time, we were quoted over $800 to print the display by local print shops and FedEx, and none were willing to sponsor us. I researched companies with headquarters or offices in Irvine and found Roland DGA. After reviewing Roland DGA’s Instagram, I saw Roland DG’s products were extremely well suited for our project. I emailed and called Roland DGA, made a trip to its office building, and later engaged with Roland DGA on social media.
Roland DGA's Garrett Smawley used a Modela Series MDX-50 CNC milling machine to machine Team SW1FT’s car bodies for all models used in their competition, contributing to their successful advancement to National and World Finals.
What type of support were you hoping for?
Initially, I was hoping Roland DGA could help us print the pit display. While researching, I came across a post from another team using a Roland DG CNC milling machine. At the same time, our team was facing a critical issue: the CNC machine at Irvine Valley College was unable to manufacture our car, and our team was literally running out of time before Nationals. When we met with (Roland DGA Regional Manager for Education and Internet Sales) Garrett Smawley over Zoom, we expanded our request to include access to a Roland DG CNC machine. Roland DGA’s timely support became essential. Without Roland DGA, our team would not have been able to complete our car or pit display printing in time to compete at Nationals.
Roland DGA used a TrueVIS LG series UV printer/cutter to create branded materials for Team SW1FT, including custom vehicle decals and a large competition table backdrop, ensuring a professional presentation.
How did your work together proceed?
Garrett responded to my email and met with our team over Zoom. From the very beginning, he treated our project with genuine care and urgency. He took the time to understand our constraints, walked us through Roland DG’s printers and CNC machines, and worked tirelessly to accommodate our needs within an extremely tight timeline. Garrett did not just provide access to equipment; he helped keep our season alive. His support, and Roland DGA’s willingness to act quickly, directly enabled our team to compete at Nationals and ultimately reach the World Finals. Without that support, our journey would have ended months earlier.
How are you and the team preparing for the 2026 season?
For the 2026 season, we will again be competing with a team comprised of myself, Luna Zhang, and Victoria Chen. Charlotte, North Carolina will host the 2026 National Finals. If we place in the top three, we will qualify for the World Finals again. Currently, our team is redesigning and optimizing several car components based on lessons learned from last season. At the same time, we are placing a stronger emphasis on creativity and refinement in our pit display design, building on the support and capabilities made possible through Roland DGA.
Roland DGA's Garrett Smawley and Team SW1FT founding member and team leader Charles Wu.
