lcramer posted on May 02, 2011 07:55
Sparks are flying in the Automotive Technology (Auto Tech) classroom, where students are putting their knowledge of electric wiring and other alternative energy sources to use.
Students are improving an electric truck by adding a 42-inch flat screen monitor to display educational videos on alternative energy sources. There will also be solar panels in the bed of the truck to recharge the batteries and provide power to the monitor and a generator that will run on biodiesel fuel they create in the shop with waste oil.
"We want to get all the parts and pieces figured out this year so that it's just a matter of putting it all together next year," Auto Tech teacher Paul Waldman said. "The students are learning teamwork, problem solving, working within a budget, public speaking, advanced energies and research."
The project got it's start in November 2008 when Prism Propane, a northwest Ohio propane company, donated a truck to the Auto Tech class to convert to an electric-powered vehicle, a process they finished last May. Now the project has entered its second phase.
Auto Tech spearheads the project, but it requires collaboration from many Millstream classes. Welding builds the trailer, Office Specialties makes informational posters and Engineering does the computer-aided drafting and designs.
"The whole design with how the batteries connect and make the car move down the road is pretty interesting because of how long it takes to get it to work," senior Auto Tech student Kristoffer Jones said. "There's a lot of wiring and you have to know quite a bit about electricity and how it works.
"The wiring was also the most difficult part because electricity is kind of hard to understand. The wiring process taught me patience."
Students do local presentations with the truck to educate the public on the feasibility of alternative energy sources.
"We've done presentations at car shows and to some senators because not that many people know about these new technologies that can keep our Earth clean, so it's fun to bring awareness," senior Auto Tech student Chris Essinger said. "One of the big benefits of electric vehicles is that they have zero emissions (of tailpipe pollutants).
"It's a lot better for the environment and while it's not extremely long-range (a fully charged vehicle will go about 60-70 miles), it can get up to highway speed so it's safe to use on all roads."
Despite the strides in alternative energy that Auto Tech students have made, some continue to underestimate their skill.
"People are very surprised that these kids are capable of doing this kind of thing, but they are," Waldman said. "One of the biggest misconceptions about vocational education is that those kids don't plan to go to college, but 60-70 percent of them do.
"This project is helping to open up interest in Auto Tech and help people see that it's not a default; it's a choice. It's disappointing that people make assumptions that these kids are just here because they're not going to college."
The program can actually be a good fit for motivated students. For Essinger, the Auto Tech electric vehicle project is giving him a jumpstart on his future.
"I'm looking to pursue a career in automotive engineering, so working on the electric vehicle project is a great way for me to get experience in the field," Essinger said. "It will give me an advantage because I will already have a better understanding of automotive technology when I start college than most students do."