Growing Kings and Express Oil Change Team Up to Teach Kids Vehicle Maintenance
This week, Growing Kings, Inc. and Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers are teamed up to train 7th and 8th grade boys enrolled in the organization’s Measures of Man program basic automobile maintenance. After completing the in-class introductory sessions, students will participate in hands-on exercises during an event at the Boutwell Auditorium, on Friday, November 20th.
Measures of a Man is a school-based mentoring program specifically designed for middle school boys with a focus on character development, violence prevention, and personal enrichment. Currently the program is being offered in Birmingham City Schools including, Inglenook K-8, Hudson K-8, Wilkerson Middle, and Washington K-8 Schools.
“Changing a flat tire or checking my oil were things I learned how to do growing up,” says Marcus Carson, founder and executive director of Growing Kings. “These are things that are no longer as commonly taught, and we believe that in doing so these young boys will grow up to be more self-reliant.”
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- Fred Johnston answers students questions about wheel maintenance.
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- Students at Hudson K-8 look on as Fred Johnston explains the weight bearing capabilities of particular tires.
During the week, professional auto-care technicians from Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers will lead classroom sessions for 7th & 8th grade students. Seventh grade students will participate in activities that will take them under the hood of a car and learn to identify and replace different car fluids, while eighth grade students will learn about tire maintenance.
“These are invaluable skills that these students will be able to call on throughout their lives, and will help save them time and money by not having to rely on others,” adds Fred Johnston, former CEO of Tire Engineers. “By bringing all of the students together at the Boutwell and giving them hands-on experiences that will help them retain the knowledge they gain during the classroom sessions.”
On Friday, November 20th, students will be welcomed to the Boutwell Auditorium by a fleet of vehicles of various models they’ll be able to work on themselves. Representatives from Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers will be on location to walk students through performing certain tasks they learned from their classroom sessions.