December 8, 2004
Motorcycle class act
TBA Career Tech students roll out ambitious Schoolyard Motorworks
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Take creative students, eager teachers, a donated motorcycle frame, engine and transmission. Mix with hard work, caring businesses and enthusiastic administrators; season two years.
The result will be a custom, knock-your-socks-off motorcycle, debuted to the world at 2006 Detroit Autorama. Designed, created and marketed by students in a range of programs at the Traverse Bay Area's Career Tech Center, the project has been dubbed Schoolyard Motorworks.
In partnership with Tribal Motorworks, some juniors and seniors in the school's welding, machine tool, visual imaging, manufacturing technology, drafting and design programs will immerse themselves in this real-world project.
"The whole thing is exciting because that's exactly what I want to do when I get older is to own my own bike shop," said Nichole Persons, a senior in the auto body program from Traverse City High School. "We want sizzle and it definitely has to be rideable."
The students involved in the Schoolyard Motorworks project hosted an open house Thursday evening at the Career Tech Center, welcoming nearly 500 visitors curious about their endeavor. The event featured custom bikes created by Tribal Motorworks as well as food and security provided by students in the Career Tech Center's foodservice and public safety programs.
Drawing on the many programs at the center is part of the recipe for success of Schoolyard Motorworks, noted Chuck Hunt, volunteer coordinator of the project. Students directly involved in the design, build and marketing teams all completed a resume and interview to be involved. However, many others from different programs are eagerly pitching in.
"Our construction trade students built the bike shop, put up the walls, painted them, trimmed them out and put in a window," he said. "Our electrical occupations students wired the shop completely."
"It's all real world for these students, they all will be learning and applying skills to the project," Hunt added.
Hunt started the welding program at the Career Tech Center 25 years ago. Over the decades, he has seen numerous partnerships with industry before but this is the first time they have done something this extensive in house.
"This is one of the things we always strive for: to develop a relationship with businesses and industries," said Hunt, who is also the coordinator of the build team. "This is a unique one, the kids get to work on all aspects of it."
In 2006, the resulting Schoolyard Motorworks bike will compete with other custom car and motorcycles at the Autorama, pitting these teens and their motorcycle against bikes crafted by customizing professionals.
The final satisfaction for Schoolyard Motorworks participants will be the money raised when the bike is brought back to Traverse City and raffled off to benefit the Father Fred Foundation. The money raised by the bike will help needy individuals and families in the region, linking the concepts of school, work, volunteering and charity for the students.
"Really the focus is showing the kids the full circle of community," said Dodd Russell, president of Tribal Motorworks. "The kids at TBA, they don't have a choir, a band or a football team and they don't have something to rally around, but they seem to be rallying around this. The teachers have been great, too."
Russell said that his employee, Kip Watkins, a renowned motorcycle customizer, started the project rolling. At the 2004 Detroit Autorama, Watkins saw a custom hot rod built by students over five years as part of a school program. The wheels started turning in Watkins' mind.
"He said to me, 'Boy, we should do a motorcycle," recalled Russell, adding that Watkins and another employee of his are graduates of the Career Tech Center.
A few phone calls later, Russell was meeting with Jason Jeffrey, principal of the Career Tech Center, offering his employees' donated time plus a motorcycle frame and motor. Jeffrey presented the opportunity to his staff and many volunteered to help. Instructors in numerous disciplines will be guiding students throughout the two-year tenure of Schoolyard Motorworks.
Over the summer, Russell made call after call to other businesses and wound up with a donated transmission. He also received commitments from people at the top of the customizing or motor building fields to come and share their expertise with the students on the design and build teams.
"There are a whole bunch of people who I made an early call to that said yes," said Russell, adding that he is pleased to see the trades and manufacturing inspiring students. "We've got enough doctors and enough lawyers and really, this country was founded on building things. We've kind of lost that focus."