photograph: Elyse Deil in Soap Box Derby Car

For many years, Rochester's Soap Box Derby taught kids to think outside the box, work with their hands, and engage with their neighbors. Although the national Soap Box Derby had been operating since 1934, the event left the Rochester area in 1975. It resumed in 1995 and saw its first female winner ever, Elyse Deil. Elyse went on to compete in the championship race in Akron, Ohio. The donor of this object related to Elyse and her success in the Soap Box Derby explained, "This was a powerful moment for girls all over our area. That day, they saw that not only did girls belong in a male dominated activity, but that they could win."