By U'Lee Brown

At Portland Adventist Academy (PAA), we are proud to have an Auto Mechanics class as part of our curriculum. Auto Mechanics has been one of the diverse offerings PAA has continuously taught since the tech building was opened in the 1980s. Learning basic auto mechanic knowledge and skills is something countless students have appreciated.

For the past several years, Adam Hinckley, a hospital physical therapist by profession, has generously taken time from his schedule to teach students the fundamentals of vehicle maintenance—everything from basic repairs to troubleshooting common problems.

Students consistently share how valuable this class content and experience are. Even those who are not yet driving find it helpful to understand the basics of how a car or truck operates. The skills gained not only equip students to perform simple repairs but also give them confidence to recognize issues and be an educated consumer when taking a vehicle to a repair shop.

The class is highly hands-on. While there is some textbook learning, most of the education happens under the hood, where students reinforce their knowledge through real-world practice.

Generous donors have contributed older, sometimes non-running vehicles to PAA, providing perfect training opportunities. Students repair and restore these vehicles, and the school has been able to sell several of them. Thanks to their efforts, the Auto Mechanics class raised $15,000 towards purchasing a much-needed school truck replacement. With the help of a matching campaign last spring, PAA was able to purchase a beautiful 2020 Ford F-250 pickup truck—an incredible upgrade for the school.

Many students over the years have been excited to find their calling, their passion, through the introduction this class provides, going on to become mechanics or to use the knowledge in engineering careers. Students regularly express deep appreciation for Mr. Hinckley’s teaching, with one frequent comment echoing through the shop: “Every student should take this class.”