From the roar of the muffler, to the feeling when you hear an engine roar; add in getting your hands dirty, and the pride of learning how to work one of humanities greatest inventions. That is what Judson High School allows students to do in the automotive program.

Mr. Carlos Martinez, the new automotive instructor, is very excited to dive right in and start working with a new group of students. He’s bringing with himself a lot of heart and can’t wait to bring that inspiration to this school.

“Coming to this school, I feel more than excited to teach these kids.” Martinez said.

Automotive Science is a complex subject that combines the ideas of both math and science. This line of work requires all of the knowledge that you will acquire in high school and in life afterward. Luckily, students can begin building these skills here at Judson.

“My goal is to inspire students to pursue careers in the automotive field,” Martinez said.

The students in the program are excited for Mr. Martinez and can’t wait for the new experiences to come. The new teacher has high hopes for the school year and knows that his classes are the best he has ever had. He makes sure the goals of the students are made and that his goals are known.

Some of the student’s goals are simply have fun as they learn every day. Some days they study the books and work on learning new techniques that they may have not known before. Other days, they are working at getting their hands dirty.

“Working on the cars gives us some much adrenaline,” senior Violet Toscano.

By working on the cars engines, ultimatums, and carburetors, they are learning to solve real world problems. Our cars are an important part of our lives. And at the end of the year, these kids will always know how to deal with these complex machines.

The program also helps with college credit. The automotive program provides a seamless transition from high school to college vocational programs. Students who successfully complete the optional college credit can finish the program with an FRCC General Automotive Inspection & Maintenance Certificate. With the FRCC certificate, they get closer to their career choice.

“This is a job I can see myself in my future,” Toscano said.

Because the students are so dedicated to learning cars, many of them spend their entire time during school, and before and after school, in the shop. After high school, many of the students see themselves as a mechanic or owning their own shop.