This week, $6,000 was excitedly presented by Honor Credit Union to the Lakeshore High School Engine Build Team. Coached by Doug Haygood, the team is taught critical life skills such as teamwork, communication, and critical thinking, while opening up a world of career opportunities in the trade field. The students who participate in this club can receive scholarships toward this career path, and the experiences the Engine Build Team bestows upon each individual will lead them into the STEM industry, engineering, automotive field, and more.
Each year, the team sets a goal to raise $10,000, which will help purchase engines, training equipment, and costs incurred with traveling to competitions. Coach Haygood tells us, “My goal is to make this club free for students and their families every year and we couldn’t do it without our sponsors. There are a lot of upfront costs involved, but 99.9% of the money we receive comes from business partners, like Honor, and the students get the experience of fundraising.” The team participates in the Specialty Equipment Market Association Show in Las Vegas every year, and placed second in the nation in 2019. Sixty schools compete in Vegas, judged on speed and accuracy for rebuilding their engines.
The 2021-2022 team is comprised of two Lakeshore students and three St. Joseph High School students, and is an extracurricular club open to all juniors and seniors whose schools share the program across Berrien County. Honor Credit Union is proud to give back and support the communities in which they serve.
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM contributor
