Peabody program allows students to learn about automobiles

PEABODY – The collaborative efforts of the Peabody Institute Library and the Peabody Vocational Department paid off Thursday with a positive turnout for the start of the new after school Automotive Club.Over a dozen students, 16 boys and one girl to be exact, eagerly entered the auto shop with hopes of gaining the skills needed to be successful in the down and dirty trade.The six-week program is funded by an “It’s Your Life, It’s Your Future” grant through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. Students will learn how to change tires, gauge tire pressure, and perform an oil change. They’ll also explore the inner-workings of a basic car engine.Third-year vocational teacher Dave Lucier is running the program with the help of volunteer students from his high school auto body classes.”I want to teach them how to learn,” said Lucier, dressed in his blues with grease-covered hands, the look of a true mechanic. “When it comes to cars, everything’s different.”First and foremost, however, Lucier wants his group of mechanics in the making to understand the importance of safety around the shop. With the 10 cars on site, some up on lifts, others on jacks, it can be a tricky environment to navigate.”I don’t want them to be afraid of a car,” he said. “But I want them to be conscious of what’s around them.”Lucier and his student assistant, high school sophomore Matt Munroe, gave an in-depth tour of the shop. When the opportunity rose to stand beneath a hoisted SUV, the students simply couldn’t resist.”Cars are so cool,” said eighth-grader Tori Alberti, dressed in a pink jumpsuit. “I like how they’re designed, what they look like. I’m looking forward to learning more?All I’ve ever done is change oil with my dad.”Eighth-grader Jesse Gagnon and seventh-grader Douglas de Oliveira both want to be mechanics someday and hope to take a closer look at engines during the club.”It’s just what I’ve always wanted to do,” said Gagnon. “It’s fun. I like taking (cars) apart and fixing them.”Lucier understands his student’s excitement over doing the actual physical aspect of the job, but stresses the importance of having a solid academic base to back up their work.”I’m trying to steer them towards college. Certificates are nice, but you want to get something more,” said Lucier. “No engineer is better than one who’s had his hands in the work. They can get their hands dirty here and go on to become an automotive engineer.””There’s no right or wrong path in life,” said Maria Ferri, director of the vocational program. “This is a wonderful program, but it’s not for everyone. You learn what works for you and what doesn’t.”In effort to incorporate literature into their experience, the library has set up a display of books that touch on the many aspects of the auto industry from repairs to design, and even racing.Young Adult Librarian Melissa Rauseo said that the library’s goal was to make these students aware that books aren’t just for those who love to read; they can be a valuable resource for mechanics and the like.”There’s this book called ‘Reading Don’t Fix Chevys,'” said Rauseo. “And it might not, but it does help you learn how to fix them.”All agree that the goal of the program is to teach students life skills and job skills in a forum that engages them. It’s also a way for them to test the waters of their future.”What you want when you get out of high school is options,” said Lucier. “And we’re giving them options.”For Munroe, volunteering his time may give him extra credit, but he said he does it so he can send an important message to his younger peers.”I always try to reach out further in the automotive field,” said the 16-year-old. “Sometimes people work hard, and think it won’t pay off in the end, but it does.”