"We're trying to create a class that's attractive to high school students who wouldn't traditionally be our students," said Todd Hetherington, an automotive teacher at Boulder TEC. The course, he said, it has offered practical application for academic subjects such as math, science, and physics, tapping into their creativity through engineering.
The course is to involve hands-on modifications to make a vehicle accelerate quicker, stop faster, sound better, and look better, Hetherington said.
Forty-seven students are enrolled in the automotive technology program, Hetherington said. He added that he expects to add about 16 students with the performance course this fall.
Automotive technology Teacher John Eidson works alongside Hetherington and instructs first-year students in tire and wheel repair and lubrication.
In addition to the school's planned performance course, Hetherington said it has offered students internships in association with the Colorado chapter of Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES).
Hetherington said the school is certified by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) and offers additional courses in steering and suspension, heating and A/C, engine repair, basic electrical, advanced electrical, engine performance, which includes ignition systems and fuel systems.
Hetherington's involvement with automotive teaching doesn't stop with Builder TEC. He is president of the Colorado Automotive Teachers Society (CATS), an organization, he said, that offers valuable industry resources to its member teachers.
Each CATS president hosts a conference at his or her school, with valuable industry training and vendor exhibits, he said.
The next CATS conference is scheduled for March 23 at the Chaffee County Fair Grounds in Salida, and will include seminars by representatives from DaimlerChrysler and Ford Motor Co.
CATS members, Hetherington said, were instrumental in devising a common course-numbering system for automotive courses through the Colorado Community College System (CCCS). Each year, CATS also organizes the Jerry Boor skills contest that coincides with the Colorado SkillsUSA competition, which awards scholarships to the secondary and post-secondary winners.
First year Boulder TEC student Paul Dacko hopes to win a medal at this year's SkillsUSA competition, Eidson said.
"My dad works in the automotive and diesel repair industry," Dacko said, adding that he plans to run his father's mobile repair business someday.
Dacko said he serves as the treasurer of the Colorado Auto Mechanics Students (CAMS), a club comprised of Boulder Valley TEC students that gives back to the community through fundraising events and vehicle donations.
Automotive Collision Technology
The glut of automotive TV programs that feature vehicle rebuilds or overhauls has fueled interest in Boulder TEC's Automotive Collision Technology program, said Lary Long II, automotive collision technology teacher."The last three years, we've had a waiting list to get in here," said Bill Uttich, Long's fellow teacher. He added that they teach the students to repair all damage associated with an accident, which can be extensive.
"They'll get a strong basic knowledge on how to work on things," Long said.
"This is about the kids having fun," Uttich said. "If they're having fun, they're learning."
Students get hands-on experience in fabrication and express their creativity with airbrushing and custom paint schemes, Uttich said. "This is art class in an elevated form." The pair said they teach students everything from dent repair to custom painting and also cover resume writing, the job application process, and mock interviews.
"We teach them skills but, most importantly, how to get a job," Long said. From 25 to 35 percent of the students go into the collision repair field after graduation, he said, adding that some continue their education at Aims Community College, WyoTech, Universal Technical Institute, and other secondary schools.
