Career and Technical Education automotive program receives car donation from Scarsdale Ford

Scholars from Mount Vernon High School and Grimes School pulled away the white tarp in the autobody shop at MVHS, as they unveiled the newest addition to their automotive resources on Monday, November 25, 2024. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Scarsdale Ford donated a new 2023 Ford Explorer ST to the automotive program.

This donation, the first in over 20 years, will allow students to get hands-on experience to work with the everchanging technology in the car industry. Previously, students have worked with cars that do not have the up-to-date technology that many cars have today, such as blind-spot monitoring and smartphone integration.

“It feels pretty nice to get a new car to work on,” said Kaleo Lewis, a senior at MVHS who is currently enrolled in Automotive 3. “It was getting kind of difficult working on the other cars because they were a little rusty.” 

Most recently, the Automotive Career Exploration (ACE) program expanded to Grimes, so students can have more intel on the program before they enter high school. This will help students decipher whether Career and Technical Education is the right path for them before having to make the decision. 

The donation event kicked off with a word from Principal Dr. Pauline Pearce, who shared her excitement for the new car with the audience. She then introduced Director of Career and Technical Education Brian Simmons, who gave insight into the various partnerships that play a major role in receiving valuable resources. 

Partnerships such as this one with Ford Automotive and Rockland Community College not only provide students with resources to explore potential career paths, but also sets them up for job opportunities and post-secondary education options after graduation.

Afterwards, Acting Superintendent Dr. K. Veronica Smith came up to the podium to express her gratitude and enthusiasm for providing scholars with tools to succeed in the industry.

“I am truly delighted; this is a wonderful occasion,” said Dr. Smith. “It is particularly wonderful because Ford didn’t have to make this contribution, they didn’t have to partner with us; but they’re doing that, and they are doing a wonderful thing… I am very excited about this. I’m excited that we are reaching out to the elementary schools and exposing them to this career.”

Before unveiling the car, representatives from Scarsdale Ford and RCC addressed the crowd, and spoke about the benefits of the program and their appreciation for being a part of it. automotive teacher Michael Maloscay, as well as current and previous CTE students spoke about the program and how it has impacted them.

Once the addresses were finished, students gathered around to reveal the car that will help them learn more about automotive technology. Afterwards, students explored the car and all its features to become accustomed to the technology.