I've been given an opportunity that is almost beyond comprehension. It's not that I'm not up to the task; it's just that I can't believe it is happening. In an era where people are saying "They don't have enough shop cl***es" and "Not every kid goes to college"... and "Why do they always cut shop programs?"... things are about to change! Read on. To bring everyone up to speed on terminology... Vocational Education is now called Career and Technical Education, or CTE for short. Voters p***ed proposition 1D that means 7 BILLION dollars to existing CTE programs and NEW CTE programs. The money is available through grants that school districts and teachers (working together) apply for. How much to each program? Existing programs can get 1.5 million dollars and NEW programs can get 3 million per program. One of the conditions is that the school districts must MATCH these funds. Our district, Tracy Unified, has development funds, so they're ready to grow. NOW FOR THE GOOD PART! We're building a new high school... to open in Aug of 2009... which will include a 64' x 300' shop building! Wooohooo! And they have given me the opportunity to develop the building with programs that are fun, exciting and educational… and above all, will benefit generations of kids to come! We've chosen three programs to fill the building. - A full scale "transportation technology" (auto/fab shop) - An (Ag) Welding shop. - A Construction Technology/ wood tech shop Each of the three cl***es will incorporate five components: 1. Safety 2. Content 3. Information Management 4. Pathways 5. Employability Report Card Components 3, 4 and 5 are really important... and need some explanation. #3 Information management. Student need to know how to get information and manage the information once they get it. I am a motivationalist. I believe there is a motivation behind everything we do. Do you know the feeling you get when you begin a car project? That feeling that drives you to learn, do research on the internet, READ and network with other like minded people? With those skills, you become an expert about whatever it is that you are interested in. THAT is what I want students to get a taste of. #4 Pathways. An integral part of our proram are the “pathways” that students will take. These pathways will take them into the workforce, on to post-secondary training in the field of study, or on to college. In additon, we need to start them out young… and give them skills to build upon. But at the same time, we need to give them options! If a kid studies auto repair… but then decides he wants to be an engineer… I want him to have learned things that will help him out as an engineer. #5 Employability Report Car. I’m really excited about this one. Each student gets a report card at the intake of the program that will follow them until they graduate. Upon graduation/completion, it will have du***ented his attendance, promptness, at***ude and ability… EVERY DAY he was there. It doesn’t seem like much in the beginning… but as the student progresses through the program… it will hold them accountable both in the shop and outside the shop (in other cl***es as well). The student will be able to take this to a prospective employer, or college and say “THIS is the type of person I am." Each instructor will sign off on them, so good marks for at***ude will not just be handed out, they’ll have to earn them. As far as attendance and puctuality, “it is what it is”. The Programs 1. Transportation Technology: The scope of the cl*** is very broad. For the grant application, we have to be very specialized. I want to not only work towards providing ASE certification for the students who want to be auto mechanics, but I also want to give student an education that can "pathway" into many other careers, or on to post-secondary education. Typically, high school auto shop programs are geared towards producing auto mechanics. My philosophy is that they are idealistic in their endeavors just as public education is when they say “every kid should go to college”. So, teach them theory via hands on projects... and let THEM decide where they want to go with their knowledge! The program is a four year program. Year one is a “shop skills” course that touches on automotive systems. Kids that take this course are going to learn the basics… from shop safety, to how to drill a hole… from routine maintenance (lube, oil, filter) to the history behind the automobile (including the history of hot rodding… nudge-nudge). Year two will take the kids a little deeper into the automobile… AND into the careers and education facet. Year three and four, will go even deeper… building one hot rod or race car per year… the more advanced students will CREATE a car. As you may remember, from Benjamin Bloom, ****YZE, EVALUATE and CREATE are the highest order learning skills… and THAT is where I want to take them. As far as “where” these kids will go? I’d like to think we would be able to help a kid whether he’s going to be a tire changer or an engineer, the difference being what THEY want to do, and the extra courses THEY take outside of auto shop. I could go on forever… 2. Ag Welding. This is a course where kids learn how to weld and fabricate. Sounds simple, but this course is a little more specialized than the Auto Shop. Welding certifications being our main goal. We will also try to establish strong ties with unions such as the sheet metal workers union, steelworkers, welding and maybe even auto body unions, as ALL are in need of people who can weld. A foot in the door is all we ask. As with all three of our programs, we want to establish partnerships with unions, corporations, businesses and post secondary education ins***utions. These partnerships will include partnering on our Advisory Board… and THAT is where YOU come in. More on that later, in post #2 3. Construction Technology. Our school district, Tracy Unified, has already teamed up with the NCCT to start this program a year before the high school is finished. The NCCT is a non-profit that works with the Construction Union to teach kids, and then put them in an apprenticeship program upon successful completion of the program. Our city has donated the land and will work closely with Habitat for Humanity and the NCCT to actually build one hose a year starting in 2008. My thought is to have a permanent home for the NCCT at the new high school. They can use the shop space and cl***room, and in addition, will have a nice big area to build a modular home on. ROP is also getting involved with this one, and to start, we want to have about 20 kinds in the program building a house the first year. To get things going, and as part of the “Pathways” portion, we need to recruit students at a younger age… so, I think it would be proper to outfit the shop with ALL the equipment a full scale woodshop (cabinet shop) would have… and teach the freshmen basic shop skills… and by the time they are a senior, they are building a house! I have spent hours and hours on this project… and have more work ahead of me. I can’t possibly do it on my own… so I need YOUR help. In the next day or so… maybe even next week… I will sit down and outline part 2 of this post. Part 2 talks more about the help I need to get this done… but in short, we need “advisors” for the auto cl*** and the welding cl***. People who are business owners, or run, and own, large companies in the automotive and mechanics field(s). There are people out there that would be willing to give us an hour of their time once or twice a year… that can make the difference between our district getting a grant, or not. People at SEMA? Or maybe someone who has a business that can give the right kid a job once he’s out of the program… the door is wide open. Sam Strube 925.337.6869 c sstrube@tusd.net
That's fantastic! My kids go to one of the higher rated school districts in north Texas and there are no shop cl***es of any kind. I'll probably have to send them to the local community college in the summers suring high school for them to be able to take any kind of formal auto shop or welding courses. It kinda stinks. The high school they will attend has almost 500 kids in the band, but can't swing for a damn auto shop. Congrats on your opportunity!
Right on Sam!...I know one of the major influences in my life was being able to participate in an extensive shop program when I was in school.
Congrats Sam, I know hanging out at your house after the museum trip was an education in itself, those kids will be lucky to have you working for them. Can I get back into high school? This sounds like fun. Oggie
As a teacher who has worked with students being forced to deal with a "one size fits all" education, I am glad to see programs like this. Good luck. I hope this is a trend that continues.
Thats a good thing you have going there. The local high school has wonderful shop cl***es. I tried to have a stand-up student come to the shop for their work program. Three came at different times and none of them worked. Just seems hard to find dedicated students these days. It seems that the kids have a "I deserve everything" kind of at***ude, with a minimal amount of work ethic to boot. Good luck with your program I really hope you can produce some of tomorrows work force. I guess the only thing I would suggest is to put them through the paces and explain to them what a "**** burger" is, cause they'll be eating them for awhile...
very cool! I was lucky enough to go to a school that had auto shop, wood shop, metal shop, machine shop, welding, drafting, art, all kinds of stuff. I took auto shop two years, wood shop four years, and welding one semester... If I had it to do all over again I would have taken all the cl***es. Last I checked the only ones that are gone are the metal shop and maybe welding but the shops are still there locked up. good luck with the project! would be cool if they could reopen the metal/welding shops here with that bill. PS...it is also nice to see schools do programs like this when all it seems schools are interested in these days is to have them p*** the exit exam brought on by the no kid left behind program. too many kids from a school fail they risk losing money so schools tailor the teaching for the test.
Sam, You might approach http://www.metroed.org/autotech.html They are a San Jose based automotive vocational training school. They may be able to provide some operational, logistical recommendations to your activity. -matthew
Sounds like a great oppurtunity. I am really glad that I was able to work something out with the local community college and do shop cl***es during high school. That was the one thing that actually made me want to go to school.
Now you know 'm going to be picking your brain on this one. Our school district is building a new school about two miles from the family property and I would love to get in there early and do what you are doing. Designing the labs from the ground up wopuld rock. Keep us posted.
This is great news I wish that the school here hadn't shut down the Ag shop ( mind you this is a farm comunity) A budy and I were so sad that it happened we bought most of the equipment we used when we went to school it was the only thing that kept either one of us from becoming total delinquents.
WOW......that is awesome; for you, the kids, and our country....what an investment.... be sure to keep us posted with pics...building, tools, etc
Sam, You are the MAN ! I wish you nothing but luck with this. Keep up posted with your progress. 41 Dave
Cudos!!! My nephew goes to a small school with a great shop program. ( I work in a school also). His cl*** actually rebuilt the motor going in my '28. You might look into The Great Race. It is a lot of work and commitment and the race isn't all that it used to be but it ia still an awsome experience. They have a separate cl*** just for high school entrants. OOPS! I just checked and they are going to paris next year! Might make it less feasible. It was just a thought though. www.greatrace.com Jim
Im a high school auto shop graduate. I went to a Ford diesel school in 62 after graduating then worked at a dealership for a while but didnt like it and ended up a lineman. Ive used the knowledge on my own cars & race cars. Sure has saved me a ton of money being able to fix and build my own stuff over the years. If the folks dont have money for college Id definetly advise it. Only problem is its tough making any money on these new cars
Sunbury High School is building an A roadster pick up in auto cl*** from the ch***is up, and one of the TAFE Colleges just finished a 32 roadster.
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