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The automotive program offered to students as part of the Mentor Schools Career Technical Education catalog is already a popular and successful one.
The newest addition to the program should only enhance that status.
Ford Motor Company, following the support and recommendation of Classic Auto Group, has donated a $60,000 2024 Mustang to the automotive program. The car was debuted for students during a presentation and luncheon May 8 at Classic Ford.
“The car is simply super cool and if that doesn’t add interest to the program I don’t know what will,” Automotive Program instructor Tony Rozman said. “Our students are used to working on cars and some very nice ones we have available like a 2002 Crown Victoria, but working on a vehicle like this takes it up a notch.
“Unfortunately, they don’t get to drive it.”
Rozman said the beauty of the Mustang is it gives his students a newer, high-performance vehicle to familiarize themselves with and be more prepared if they choose an auto career.
It also enhances the curriculum because there is more to the software and systems are more complex.
And as Rozman previously mentioned, the mere appearance of the vehicle only arouses the attention of the students to want to know what makes it run.
“Students definitely have a higher rate of interest with a car like this and you could tell immediately they wanted to look at, sit in it,” Rozman said. “Looking at it, I know that there is a thrill factor, comparing that car to other vehicles, to other systems students are used to working on. Technology is drastically different today, and this vehicle provides unique experience.”
The Mustang will be kept in the program’s shop area, in the lab on Tyler Boulevard where classes take place. Currently 27 students are taking the program with a maximum of 32.
Rozman said he currently has five of his program’s graduates at Ford and four at Chevrolet just from the Mentor program.
“We’ve been adapting to anything all along,” Rozman said. “You can’t teach all wheel drive instruction or performance if you don’t have one. We continue to offer more that exposes these students to a wide range of experience.”
Joe Glavan, director of Workforce Development for Mentor Schools, said the collaboration exemplifies the potential of business-education alliances in building Ohio’s future workforce and stressed how thankful the school and the CTE program is to people like Jim Brown, Jim Hawk and Tom Bowens for their support in the endeavor.
“Mentor Schools is extremely appreciative to Ford Motor Company for their generous contribution of a 2024 Mustang GT to our Automotive program, supported by Classic Auto Group’s endorsement,” Glavan said. “This donation underscores the excellence of students trained under Mentor instructor Tony Rozman and emphasizes the benefits of a partnership between Mentor Schools and Classic Auto Group.”
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