Posted March 11, 2024
Note: This article and photos appeared in the January issue of Hi-Lights, the Plymouth High School student newspaper.
By Gabe Meredith
of the Hi-Lights staff
One of the major aspects of the auto shop is that students and teachers are welcome to bring their vehicles in and perform work on them. If the students are in auto tech or basic auto they can repair the vehicles themselves. If the students aren’t in either automotive classes then they are able to have the auto tech students repair/maintain the vehicle for them.
The most common way that students can bring their cars or trucks into the auto shop is by directly asking automotive technology teacher Beau Biller, or by having a student in auto tech ask him. The teacher’s preferred method of bringing their cars in is calling Mr. Biller or emailing him. The only requirement to get a vehicle worked on is to supply the proper parts or things that are being replaced when necessary.
The auto shop does tire jobs, fluid checks, part replacements/fixing, transmission swaps/repairs, overall checks/assessments, and other automotive activities. There is a wide variety of tools and students who are capable of many different jobs to fix the vehicle.
There are many different benefits of bringing trucks and cars into the auto shop. “It’s nice for students to bring vehicles in because it’s less expensive and it’s the best way for students to learn about automotive technology and get a general understanding of auto maintenance,” said Mr. Biller.
Since the auto shop handles many varying models and brands, there is a lot to learn and do. “My favorite part of teaching auto tech is doing different things every day and it's always a new task or problem to solve,” said Mr. Biller. By having a lot of tasks and activities to be completed, there is much to like about the class.
Most auto tech students enjoy working on vehicles. “My favorite part of auto tech is that it doesn’t feel like school and it’s an escape of the mind,” said senior Leyton Schaefer. The aspect of spending all class doing hands-on work is one of the reasons why auto tech is a popular class.
Other auto tech students have their favorite parts of working on vehicles. “My favorite part of working on different vehicles is the difference between them and the variation between the alternative vehicles,” said senior Dylan Andrews. Getting skills in automotive repair and maintenance can help students with their future careers or their future as a whole.
There are lots of varying reasons why students decide to enroll in automotive classes. “I decided to take auto tech because it’s always been my passion and it’s a valuable shop class that goes with what I want to do after graduation,” said Dylan. With the willingness to learn and work, students always get the job done.
With smaller costs and learning involved, bringing cars into the automotive shop is a great benefit of being a student. There are capable and reliable students maintaining and fixing vehicles throughout the school and they are a beneficial resource for other students' automotive needs. If any automotive maintenance or repair is needed just reach out to Mr. Biller or one of many automotive technology students who will be willing to help.
Learn more:
• Read a Hi-Lights article about Wood Processes projects.
• Read a Hi-Lights article about Momentum show choir.
• Explore our interactive, award-winning District Report Card to learn more about how we prepare students to become their best in any path they choose after graduation.
PHS senior Tyler Shallue replaces power steering lines on the Biller family van.
