Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Monday, October 06, 2008

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Students checked and recorded the tire pressure at station No. 3.

Like a NASCAR pit crew, the high school students swarmed around the vehicles at each checkpoint – inspecting the exterior and peeking under the hood.

“You can learn a lot in class, but out here it’s hands-on and more personal interaction,” said Adam Sutherland, a senior at Bryan Station High School.

Sutherland should know; Saturday was his third time participating in Eastside Technical Center’s car care clinic.

“Not a lot of people know about their cars and how to get everything checked. It’s another way to help out (the community) and keep everybody safe,” said Sutherland, who plans to study automotive technology at the University of Northwestern Ohio.

Each fall, Eastside students volunteer to spend a day giving people’s cars a free once-over inspection. They generally see about 175 vehicles, but they have checked in as many as 400 in one day.

Eastside and the Professional Master Technicians Association organize the event. William Wethington, a sophomore at Lafayette High School, was excited about working alongside the experts as well as dealing with customers. “It’s fun to do it,” he said.

The warm, sunny weather certainly brought out the business for the 19^th annual clinic – a dozen cars had lined up before the 9 a.m. start. Armed with clipboards, tire pressure gauges and other equipment, more than 40 students manned five drive-through stations in the parking lot outside the technical center.

Students checked everything from vehicles’ paint and dents to lights, horns and shocks. They also measured the tread depth of each tire, tested the emissions levels of exhaust systems and inspected belts, hoses and fluid levels.

Before each driver left a station, the students relayed their findings and recommendations. Low tires, for instance, can reduce gas mileage, wear on the treads and even threaten a blowout.

“After that whole gamut of stops, there’s an optional station to have your car checked with scanners and computers,” said Bobby Riddle, an automotive technology teacher at Eastside.

The students – representing the automotive, collision and diesel departments – rotated among the stations to get experience in each area and work with various professional technicians. (The school’s radio and TV department also participated, producing a promotional ad for next year.)

“It’s a great tool for me to get kids out in the industry,” Riddle said of the clinic.

Van Kirk, of the Professional Master Technicians Association, was among those who started the clinic in 1990. Operated in conjunction with the National Car Care Council, it is the longest continually running voluntary vehicle inspection program in the country, Kirk said.

While the main goal is to help consumers understand what’s going on with their cars, Kirk said the clinic also gives professional mechanics a forum to showcase their customer-service skills and gives the kids a better idea of the opportunities available to them.

“It allows the students to see our industry at its finest,” he said.