Thanks to the Ford Motor Company and DaimlerChrysler, Auto Technology students at Oxford High School will now have a 2007 Mustang GT500 and a 2005 Dodge Dakota pick-up truck to work on.
Last week, the two companies presented their donations to the classes, taught by Dan Balsley.
‘This type of donation is irreplaceable,? he said. ‘There’s no way I could offer that kind of training without this type of donation. You should’ve seen the look in the kids? eyes when they saw the vehicles that were donated.?
The idea for Ford to donate a vehicle to the school came about when OHS sophomore, David Simpson, was working in the garage with his uncle, Dave Van Hoet, who happens to be a launch specialist for the Dearborn based company.
That set the ball rolling, and now, Simpson said he will definitely enjoy being in Auto Tech. next year. ‘I never would’ve (argued about) being able to work on a Mustang my junior year,? he said with a smile.
Balsley said the auto shop owns about 12 vehicles in addition to the few vehicles they service for customers. Private donations are always welcomed, and are 100 percent tax-deductible.
When the vehicle is repaired and sold, that money comes back to the Auto Tech. classes for important items they need on a daily basis. ‘We do rely heavily on private donations,? Balsley said.
The Auto Technology classes at OHS are certified by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation, which means students who take those classes can get college credits through various local colleges.
This is also the first year Oxford has had the opportunity to send students to the GM Academy if they’re interested in becoming an automotive engineer, according to Balsley.
Even though some students and parents feel the new academic requirements mandated by the state prohibits them from taking an extra-curricular classes like Auto Tech., Balsley wants them to know that it’s still possible to do so.