Several Shelby automobiles drove onto Live Oak Elementary School campus in Castaic on Thursday, after a sixth grader’s drawing for class of a Shelby automobile was posted online and sparked interest from local members of the Ford Motors Shelby Club.

Back in the fall semester, a drawing of a Shelby automobile by a Castaic area sixth-grader, Jacob Lensch, piqued the interest of his teacher when he was assigned to draw a picture based on the theme, ‘Pursuing Your Dreams and Goals By Always Striving to Do Your Best.’

Lensch shared that he wanted to go back to the 24 Hours of Le Mans Race in 1966, where a Shelby-built GT40 won, the race featured in the movie “Ford vs. Ferrari.”

The art assignment soon caught the interest of Rene Gimenez, a teacher at Live Oak Elementary School, and a member of the Shelby Club himself. Giminez shared Jacob’s artwork and interest with the Shelby Club’s Facebook page, drawing attention from other club members, and even Scott Black, Marketing Director for Team Shelby.

“(Shelby) grew up in very modest means in East Texas. He was self-made, he ended up becoming an international champion. He was the only person to win Les Mans – which is the most important sports car race in the world – as a driver, a manufacturer and a team owner,” said Black on why he is inspired by Shelby. “He married beauty queens. He became the confidant of kings and captains of industry, yet he came from extraordinarily humble beginnings. And he did it through hard work, tenacity and following his passion. What’s not exciting about that?”

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Black, joined by Tracey Smith, Executive Vice President of Carroll Shelby International, hosted a presentation titled ‘Pursuing your Passions and Goals and How School is an Integral Part of Making this Happen,’ as well as bringing several vehicles to show students, including:

• Replica 289 FIA Cobra Roadster
• Prototype 2008 Shelby GT500 Convertible
• 1968 Mustang with Shelby Modifications

“This is extremely exciting, we’ve been waiting for this day for quite a while now and the kids are super excited,” said Live Oak Principal Stephanie Beach.

For Giminez, being both an educator and a Shelby owner, the day was a very special occasion.

“It is, from an education standpoint, a dream come true. It’s one thing to talk about how hard work and perseverance and chasing your dreams and your passions pays off, but this is a living embodiment of it, to be able to see and to be so close to touching an iconic person such as Carroll Shelby, and having an example of his work, and what it meant not only to the automotive industry but what he did for the United States. It’s really a great lesson for (the students),” Giminez said. “And from the little kid gearhead in me, never ever dreaming I’d even be able to sit in one of these, it’s been a dream come true on a couple of levels.”

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