Chrysler Group Donation Benefits Automotive High School Library
February 06 2007 - 9:53AM
PR Newswire (US)
BROOKLYN, N.Y., Feb. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler
Group today donated two vehicles, four engines and $25,000 to the
Automotive High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. Community leaders and
Chrysler Group executives attended special event to mark the
donation of one of the company's Dodge Durangos, a Jeep(R) Liberty
and four 3.5-liter V-6 engines; a donation valued at more than
$98,000. More than 1,100 students -- 90 percent male, 70 percent
African-American and 24 percent Latino -- from around New York City
attend the Automotive High School. The school, established in 1937,
is one of the only schools in the U.S. that offers a comprehensive
automotive curriculum at the high school level. "DaimlerChrysler is
committed to education," said Senior Manager - Civic and Community
Relations Leven Weiss. "We're working together with local
communities to build the curriculae students need today to prepare
them for tomorrow's competitive automotive workplace. The
automotive service and repair field demands strong diagnostic and
computer skills. Automotive High School's educational programs
provide the foundation the students need for an automotive career."
"The support of the Chrysler Group is important to the Automotive
High School and our students," said Automotive High School
Principal Melissa H. Silberman. "We want to be able to provide the
best resources, training and support possible so that our graduates
have the skills auto industry employers need. With this money, we
can purchase the furniture, books and computer systems we need to
develop a critical resource -- a library -- for our school. The new
Automotive High School library is badly needed to assist the 500 or
so incoming freshman reach appropriate grade-level literacy
standards." "The commitment of companies like the Chrysler Group
have made the Automotive High School an outstanding educational
resource for our community," said City Councilwoman Diana Reyna.
"This sort of investment is nothing short of an investment in
tomorrow's workforce." The Automotive High School provides students
with hands-on training within its 15 auto shops, which include
transmission labs, steering and suspension labs, welding labs,
brake labs, body labs and a "green" lab where students work with
alternative fuel vehicles. Students pursue a rigorous academic
program that offers majors in auto mechanics, auto body or
information technology. These aspiring automotive technicians
receive specialized training that prepares them for the
increasingly complex vehicle service field, including National
Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) Master
Certification. The school also offers college credits through a
partnership with the Bronx Community College. In addition to
vehicle repair diagnosis and trouble shooting, Automotive High
School offers English electives, automotive dealership apprentices,
peer tutoring, computer literacy, PSAT/SAT preparation, critical
reading/writing courses and advance-placement courses in world
history, literature and biology. The Automotive High School is part
of Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES), a partnership among
participating automotive manufacturers, participating dealers and
selected high schools. AYES is designed to encourage young people
to pursue satisfying careers in retail automotive service and
prepare them for entry-level career positions or advanced studies
in automotive technology. AYES currently has more than 380 schools
on its roster. DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz USA unit also
supports the Automotive High School, having provided complete
vehicles, engines and funding to help students there get hands-on
training. DaimlerChrysler Corporation, also known as the Chrysler
Group, is the Auburn Hills, Michigan-based unit of DaimlerChrysler
AG. Employing more than 86,000 worldwide, DaimlerChrysler Corp.
manufactures, markets, distributes and through its Chrysler, Jeep
and Dodge dealers, sells cars, minivans, sport- utility vehicles
and trucks to customers worldwide. Its Chrysler, Jeep(R) and Dodge
feature some of the world's most recognizable vehicles including
the Dodge Viper, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler PT Cruiser and Chrysler
300C. Chrysler Group operates in more than 100 countries and in
2006, sold 2.8 million vehicles worldwide. Now in its 54th year,
the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund is the primary source of
charitable grants made by DaimlerChrysler Corporation. The Fund
annually supports hundreds of charitable organizations with an
emphasis on community growth, arts and culture, education and youth
development programs throughout the United States and throughout
the world. DATASOURCE: Chrysler Group CONTACT: David Elshoff,
+1-248-512-2690, or , or Curtrise Garner, +1-248-512-2712, or ,
both of Chrysler Group Web site:
http://www.media.daimlerchrysler.com/
http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/
Copyright