College and Career Academy

Local Auto Mechanic Donates Vehicle to RCS College and Career Academy

ROME, GA— When your car’s engine has a rattle and the temperature gauge goes into the red, who are you going to call to get you back on the road safely?

Rome High School and the educators at the Rome City Schools College and Career Academy are making sure someone will be there to answer the phone. And because of the generous donations from business owners who value our future workplace leaders, Wolves in the automotive pathway will know how to patch-up your ride.

Steve Smith, owner of Smith’s Auto Repair and co-owner SLS Towing, has invested in tomorrow’s workforce by donating a used Toyota minivan to the CCA. The automobile needs a little TLC, but the goal is for students to get a real-world look at diagnosing and servicing a vehicle.

“This is something we feel is important at Smith’s Auto Repair,” Smith said as he handed the van’s title to Alfonzo Frazier, assistant principal at the CCA, “because the kids in this program can learn valuable lessons. In our industry, there is now a huge shortage of technicians. Rome City Schools offering this class to students, and teaching them the fundamentals of auto repair, is important to our field and we will need them working alongside us in the future.”

Smith went on to say that if he were in the RCS automotive pathway today, there are a few things he would pay close attention to. The first is the safety aspect of working in a garage. And the second is customer satisfaction and customer service.

“You have to make sure you are taking care of the cars you service,” Smith said. “People use their vehicle to transport their families and it is vital that the car or truck is safe when it leaves your lot. When they are in class, they should always double check their work and be mindful of what they are doing to service the vehicle.”

“I think this is a huge opportunity for our students,” said Frazier to Smith, “and we really want to thank you for this generous donation. We are always grateful when we have community members invest in our schools. There is a dealership across the street from our school hiring technicians and paying them great starting wadges. So, to see someone who owns a garage bringing our students a car to work on will help us to accomplish our mission.”

Go Wolves!!!

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