Tyler Carnes, left, and Clayton Delaney tool around through the engine compartment of an older model practice car. Photo Courtesy of Cody Price
KINGMAN – High school technical and mechanical classes can be debilitatingly underfunded and understaffed.
Kingman High School falls into that category.
KHS Introduction to Automotives and Welding Instructor Cody Price is leading mission hoping the public can help his autoshop classes get a push.
In an Aug. 5 Facebook post, Price reached out to the community. The basic gist was this:
“Ok guys I hate to do it, but I am getting the automotive program started at KHS again. I am looking for donations that would go to the school for tools for repairs,” it read. “What we have currently are things I have supplied.”
The classes could use tools, clothes, numerous supplies and more importantly, mentors and knowledge.
Price has led missions before. He’s a U.S. Army veteran, former U.S. Army mechanic and a 2005 KHS graduate.
The auto program at KHS is an elective for the first time in years and is not considered CTE (Career and Technical Education) at this time. Welding however is a CTE class.
Automotive classes are open to all high school grades and welding 10-12 grades. The classes also accept special education students.
Price currently has 63 kids actively enrolled in the auto classes and an additional 16 that are part of Bulldogs Auto Club. The classes have about a 50/50 ratio of boys to girls.
“As far as teachers, there is me, and a few others that occasionally help out with random jobs,” Price said.
He’s trying to expand upon the program’s capabilities.
“The current abilities of the auto program at the school are based on the knowledge I have as a diesel technician in the Army,” Price said. “Also, my college and work experience in collision repair and custom auto painting.”
Students are allowed to bring in projects as well as work on other projects brought in by KHS staff.
Students are getting instruction in basic shop and auto safety, essential vehicle care and maintenance to include checking fluids, repair and replacement of safety equipment, changing a flat tire, replace air filters, headlights and brakes, dealing with an overheated vehicle, what to do in an accident and how to calmly deal with police if they’ve been pulled over. Much of that is tied in with Price’s driver’s education class. They’ve also been taught how to color sand and polish a paint job and how to properly detail a car.
“The class is set up at this time to do what is needed to keep a car operational and safe on the highway,” said Price. “They’ve started diagnostic and repair work on a teacher’s vehicle and in the next few weeks will be removing and replacing a student’s transmission.”
KHS used to have a program called V.I.C.A. (Vocational Industrial Clubs of America). V.I.C.A. has since evolved into CTE and after three years of a class, a student was set up to have at least one, if not all, ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certifications.
“We did full auto maintenance up to and including building engines, replacing clutches, transmissions, and anything else you would need to do as a technician,” Price said. “We even had a drop-out prevention program headed up by former shop teacher Terry McCoy who was a staple to our town and for many of us including myself the sole reason we fell in love with cars.”
Grades were important.
“To stay in the class, we had to maintain a 3.0 GPA in our main classes, or we didn’t get to participate in auto class activities,” Price said.
Price wants to continue to build on McCoy’s work. McCoy left for Mohave Community College in 2006 and the KHS autoshop program died in 2008.
“I know I can’t replace him but seeing the old auto shop turned into a woodworking shop after he had retired pushed me to use my knowledge and pick up the torch,” he said.
This is Price’s full year teaching the programs. He was a substitute during the 2023-24 school year.
Many of the tools and equipment have either been transferred to the Lee Williams High School autoshop classes or sold to the public. Price himself and what little bit of donations the Bulldogs Auto Club has raised over the last school year are funding keeping the classes afloat.
“We have very limited tools, manuals, scanners, etcetera,” he said.
Price and CTE director Lindsey Wolsey are heading the autoshop programs and are hoping to get enough going with the current classes that they’ll be able to bring automotives back as fully funded CTE program. That is years down the road.
“I’ll continue to serve the auto kids with my knowledge and skills in the field as well as point them in the right direction of where they can go to school to further their education in the automotive field,” Price said.
In the Intro to Automotives classes, Price can show students a broad spectrum of automotive trades including diesel and gasoline engine repair, auto body, and custom builds as well as an introduction to hybrid and electric vehicle curriculum.
“This allows the students to decide if there is a particular part of the automotive realm that they may be interested in pursuing as a career, be it automotive technician, automotive collision repair specialist, diesel technician, or automotive engineer,” Price said.
He has quite a detailed list of tools that will allow the class to do more work in the shop as it is.
That list includes impact tools, toolboxes, torque wrenches, combination wrenches, jacks, jack stands, air tools, compressors, a two-post lift capable of 8,000 pounds, a tire machine and balancer, paint guns, auto body repair tools, body hammers and dollies, body filler, various sandpapers, sanders, polishers, polish compounds, paint mixer, scales, auto paints and primers.
As far as mentorship and professional assistants, the possibilities are endless.
“The auto shop is my personal project for revival,” Price said. “I am always open to having people from the industry come in and do a demonstration or guest lecture.”
Price also runs the welding lab at KHS and though most of the equipment he has is functional, he can always use grinders, grinder wheels, blades, MiG wire and tips, flux core, and wire paint for improvement to the shop, fire retardant gear and work boots.
Donors and volunteers will be highly appreciated, and those efforts will be announced at Kingman Unified School District board meetings.
“We have multiple CTE programs and many of the programs depend on donations to get children the best education we can offer,” said Price.
He knows he donations can help mold the future.
“This will raise a new generation of hard-working citizens that were able to get the knowledge they needed to successfully join the workforce and possibly get them into a better situation than they are currently in,” Price said. “Kingman is rapidly growing, and this is where we as the general public need to step up and help the next generation.”
Students with all levels of experience take the classes for reasons ranging from learning basic car maintenance to working toward technical certificates and becoming professionals in their fields.
Kairi Davis, senior, started taking auto class this semester.
“I just wanted to learn how to take care of my car for myself before I go to a mechanic to make sure they do the job right,” she said.
Sophomore Kaydence Carson doesn’t want to wait for help in an emergency.
“I’m learning basic maintenance and hoping to save some money before having to sit on the side of the road for three hours,” she said.
Tripp Schmidt, sophomore, is taking both auto and welding.
“This is for the experience and trying to move on to college classes,” he said. “It helps my resume for both fields down the road.”
Junior Robert Barnes has been with the Bulldogs Auto Club throughout 2023 and 2024. He took welding through all of 2023 and now takes an additional auto class this semester because he likes the atmosphere.
Tinkering with cars and working with his hands is what he likes the best. Barnes has always helped his dad work on random projects in his garage.
“I’m used to this environment,” Barnes said. “It’s better than being in a normal classroom.”
Regardless of their time spent in the classes, they’re all gaining new skills and experience.
Davis received a bundle of handy knowledge she wouldn’t have thought about before such as basic safety checks and emergency procedures.
“Things like what to do before starting the car or going anywhere like checking the oil,” she said. “And also changing a tire which I didn’t know how to do before.”
“I learned how to change wiper blades, properly use power tools and that shop safety is very important,” Carson added.
Schmidt knew plenty about cars and has been working in a shop most of his life.
“I didn’t learn the welding portion so much,” he said. “I’ve learned to fix stuff around the house like dirt bikes and help out my dad who does paint and bodywork.”
The technical skills will be used at various levels.
For Davis and Carson, they’ll implement what they’ve learned for everyday experience and knowledge.
Schmidt and Barnes want to take their skills further.
Along with his KHS curriculum, Schmidt will be starting Mohave Community College welding classes this fall.
“I’m eventually going for a full-time job,” he said.
Barnes has come to appreciate both the technical and aesthetic aspects of the classes.
“I learned with welding that there are so many more processes involved,” he said.
“It’s more of an art form than just using tools in the shop.”
Spending time with his dad in the garage is rubbing off.
“People working (hands-on) with cars are a dying breed,” Barnes said. “No one strives to learn it that much anymore.
Almost all the students are learning a few financial lessons regarding vehicle maintenance.
“Because they don’t learn, they end up spending more money on the things they don’t know,” said Barnes. “That’s what I like about learning.”
If you have tools or time to donate, contact the KHS front office staff located at 4182 N. Bank St. or by phone at 928-692-6480.
Anything helps, even donations of cash to the Bulldogs Auto Club at KHS and you will get recognized at a school board hearing.
For more information, details on the tools and supplies needed, to donate or mentor, contact Price at (928) 692-6480 ext. 6558 or 6550 or by email at cprice@kusd.org.
Aaron Ricca
