Published October 2, 2024
BY AVERY PALSHAW
While currently working on building a 1970 Chevy C10 Pickup Truck to serve as an official shop truck and in other school events, the Carmel High School Automotives class remains dedicated to raising an environment of independent, hands-on learning.
Auto II and III members often work on projects in groups, fostering a positive atmosphere. (photo by AVERY PALSHAW)
In his third year of teaching Automotives at CHS, David Doyal instructs both an Auto I and Auto II class, each with different focuses. Auto I is all about learning the basics of the shop, entailing safety precautions, simple maintenance on vehicles and introductions to oil changes, brakes, suspension and fluid changes like transmissions and differentials. Auto II, on the other hand, takes the concepts learned in Auto I and starts off with hands-on projects, like building engines.
“Most of the people in this shop just want to learn a little something for themselves about auto and experience it, and they want to take a fun elective,” says Doyal.
While not technically a course, “Auto III” is for students who have completed Auto I and II, but want to continue working independently in the shop on various projects. Currently, there are six students taking this separate, upper-level class, and when they aren’t working on restoring the pickup truck, many often bring in their own cars to work on.
Auto II students work on cleaning off engine parts before reassembling their engines. (photo by AVERY PALSHAW)
“I just got a Toyota Tacoma, so I’m planning on bringing it in and doing some work on it,” says level-three senior Bella Tanguay.
As for the truck, Auto III students started by stripping away extra parts from the truck’s frame, then shortening the bed by sawing down part of it and welding it back together. As of now, the students plan to paint the truck hot-rod black with a large “C” for Carmel and a CHS Automotives logo on it. Once the truck is completed, Doyal says he would like to use the truck for school events like parades and homecoming as an advertisement for the Automotives class.
The environment of the class is collaborative in the sense that students often work in groups on projects, but independent at the same time, as Doyal emphasizes giving his students direction at the start of class, then letting them work through problems until they need his assistance.
Junior Colter Zobel works on shortening the bed of the truck that Automotives is working on. (photo by AVERY PALSHAW)
“It’s kind of like a little family because everyone’s working together, we’re in groups all the time, we help each other with projects,” says the auto teacher. “It’s just a fun atmosphere.”
The class is not only an elective for those interested in pursuing a career in mechanics or engineering, but also proves beneficial for those simply seeking practical experience with maintaining vehicles.
“Taking the class is good for just knowing how to work on a car, so I don’t have to go to a shop all of the time and spend a lot of money,” explains junior Makayla Higson, an Auto II student.
There are also students taking Automotives who have a hobby in mechanics and see the class as a way of improving their skills. Junior Auto III student Colter Zobel says he began working on brakes with his father when he was around 6 years old and took on the hobby from there, taking the course as an elective aligning with his interests.
Those looking to gain more information about the CHS Automotives class can look at an overview of the curriculum on the “2024-25 CHS Course Catalog” page at CarmelUnified.org.
