Automotive Program for Teens With Learning Challenges

A school in Middleboro, Massachusetts, is giving teenagers with learning challenges a chance to hone their interests and career goals.

Chamberlain International School is a therapeutic school with academic, social, and emotional programs that meet a variety of learning needs. The automotive elective offers a hands-on environment that has been life-changing for students like Curtis R., who discovered his passion for welding.

"Finally finding something I'm good at made me feel so good inside," Curtis said.

Between learning vehicle maintenance to building a Cobra from scratch, students are also building bonds.

"Everyone down here, we all got the same mindset and very similar goals. And that's what kind of makes this different than other classrooms," said 18-year-old Jake K.

Instructor Joe Kingsley makes sure his lessons go beyond the automotive industry.

"I kind of try to keep it real. Real world," said Kingsley. "What they're going to be subject to when they go out in the workforce. Team work, camaraderie, working with others, how not to get too irritated and be tolerant."

"Joe has just been such an inspiration to me," Curtis said. "He's gotten me on the right path of what I want to do for a career."

Students have been renovating a Jaguar XJS convertible, donated by a parent, for close to two years. It will be up for sale at Barrett-Jackson's Northeast Auction on June 23-25 at Mohegan Sun.

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