Our Thoughts of Gratitude and Reflection were given by Kathy Bussell. Following Marlene Bevan educated our club on the significance of Yom Kippur and on the importance of atonement.
Cindy Ruzak welcomed visiting Rotarians and guests, after which Carla Weaver promoted the Youth Exchange program. Herb Lemcool reminded everyone that the One Way Coat Drive will be held at our October 15th and 22nd meetings, during which he will collect cold-weather clothing donations. A Club Board Slate announcement, as well as open nominations from the floor, will take place at our next Club meeting, October 15th.
Lisa Pointe introduced our speaker for the afternoon, Hollianne McHugh of the TBAISD Career Tech Center’s Manufacturing Technology Academy. They were also joined by two of the program’s student participants.
Hollianne explained that the MTA prides itself on being “a different kind of school.” Its curriculum features high-level mathematics, science, English and economics, all integrated into a manufacturing technology lab and regional and national competitions. Students in high school grades 11 and 12 from around our five counties participate in this exceptional program. Not for late risers, this program’s relevant and rigorous curriculum begins promptly at 7:30 each morning.
MTA’s manufacturing lab allows students to explore numerous practical fields, including robotics and automation, design and manufacturing processes, electrical systems, project management and more. The lab and its engaged students are overseen by a mechanical engineer with years of practical experience in the automotive industry.
The MTA’s education is not just academic however, students receive real-world tests of their design and construction savvy through competitions across the US. For their most recent competitive the program’s students were challenged with building a “rescue robot” which was required to navigate challenging terrain obstacles and perform dexterous tasks. Though the MTA team, who spent a year building their robot, performed aptly, the real take-away from the competition was that a good field engineer always brings extra parts.
MTA has produced consistently award-winning teams for the Honda National Robotics Challenge, beating out hundreds of other teams each year.
Students cap their program with an internship to a local business. One of the visiting students interned for Precision Plumbing and Heating Systems, where he helped update software to increase efficiency and cut costs. (Thankfully, he also had to endure grunt work like taking inventory and fetching coffee.) “You get to see the practical side on a day to day basis,” the student explained excitedly of his experiences.