SAN DIMAS/LA VERNE – SAN DIMAS/LA VERNE – Bonita Unified students looking to get a head start on college and career planning received expert guidance in auto repair, architecture, and engineering through career technical education (CTE) summer academies at Citrus College and Cal Poly Pomona, with rising juniors and seniors taking weeklong courses designed to spark their interest in lucrative fields.

“The Summer Academy partnerships Bonita Unified has with Citrus College and Cal Poly Pomona are paying huge dividends for students who want to explore their options,” BUSD CTE Coordinator Vanessa Tilford said. “This is very exciting for our kids. They are receiving college-level instruction, collaborating on meaningful projects, and taking their first steps to post-secondary success.”

Led by Priscilla Englert, the Citrus College Automotive and Toyota Technician Training and Education Network (T-TEN) instructor and a former Bonita High School teacher, BUSD students received an entry-level overview of the school’s auto tech program, which includes T-TEN, enabling them to work toward a certificate in automotive service, diagnosis, and repair as a Toyota/Lexus technician.

This is the third year that Bonita Unified students have received summer instruction at the Citrus Summer Auto Academy. Students from Bonita and San Dimas high schools worked exclusively with recent model Toyotas, learning the ABCs of auto maintenance. At the end of the week, students received certificates in medium/heavy duty truck technology (MTRK) and automobile technology.

“Auto technology is rapidly expanding, and the industry needs more technicians,” Englert said. “Certificated students can make up to $22 an hour right out of college.”

Bonita High junior Nate Bowman enrolled in the auto academy so he could learn the proper way to maintain his family’s 2008 Toyota 4-Runner, a vehicle nearly as old as he is. During the four-day training session, Bowman immersed himself in auto parts, repair manuals, and software technology, while learning the importance of multi-point inspections and professional auto care.
“I’m learning a lot about diesel engines, heavy equipment trucks, and 18-wheelers. This is a fun class,” Bowman said. “I like the idea of working with my hands and making sure everything is running right with my car. This class gives a lot to think about. I am considering a career as an engineer or mechanic.”

Taught by Citrus architecture professor Tommy Reyes, the Citrus College Architecture Academy is now in its second year. Students received an overview of Citrus’ architecture program, an introduction to laser-based light detection technology and 3D printing, and participated in a group design challenge where students used wood pieces to build a house and decorate it with landscapes and furnishings. At the end of the weeklong course, the students received a certificate of completion.

“Architecture is a great field for high school students to consider,” Reyes said. “An entry-level position in this field starts at $67,000. This was a great group of students, very eager to learn. They asked good questions and weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty.”

Bonita High rising senior Belen DeLeon collaborated with three other students to design a house with an attic, including stairs, a refrigerator, TV, picket fence, and a walkway.

“I’m looking at architecture as a potential career, and this class has really opened my eyes,” DeLeon said. “In architecture, you have to be patient and very accurate. Even a small mistake can have a huge impact on your work. In our design challenge, it stressed the importance of teamwork and collaboration, and it was really fun working on the design together.”

Now in its third year, the three-day Cal Poly Pomona Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME) Summer Academy saw nearly 30 BUSD students working with Cal Poly professors to receive an overview of the IME program, what careers IME can lead to, and the earning potential of engineers with undergraduate and graduate degrees.

BUSD students worked with CNC milling machines, performed a lab simulation, and worked with cast iron metal and plastic thermoforming. Students also toured the IME department’s new digital and automation lab, which includes brand new state-of-the-art equipment, including a milling station, lathe, laser engraving system, and an automated storage retrieval system with an integrated robot.

PHOTOS:

BUSD_CTE1: Bonita Unified career technical education students participate in a group design challenge during Citrus College’s Summer Architecture Academy.

BUDS_CTE2: Bonita Unified career technical education students check under the hood during Citrus College’s Summer Auto Academy. The course is taught by former BHS auto tech teacher Priscilla Englert.