Over the last few weeks, Mr. Wallace’s manufacturing and engineering class have been repairing PYLUSD district’s school broken buses. There are three to four buses that the class has been repairing. The students in the class have been working hard and have learned a lot about the parts of the buses.

Nate Soneja, president of the engineering and manufacturing club, has learned and repaired a lot of the buses. Soneja has cut out the inner plate for the flywheel of the transmissions that the buses. Soneja states, “ I cut six of these plates out on our waterjet machine in the school’s metal shop with the assistance of Mr. Wallace. Then I took these cutout plates of steel and lined them up with the outer ring of the flywheel and welded them together.”

After the students in the class fix the broken parts of the buses, the fixed parts are sent back to the district for the mechanics to reinstall in their transmissions to get the buses back on the road.

The PYLUSD district let the students in the engineering and manufacturing class work on the buses because it is a valuable work experience for the students. It also lets the students work on a real life and a large project to work on.

Soneja also states, “ I learned the basic concept of a transmission assembly, how it works, and where the weak points are that are more susceptible to breaking. Also, that welding isn’t just used for building new structures or parts but also used for repairing and replacing old or damaged parts or structures. “

Soneja learned the basic concept of a transmission assembly, how it works and where the weak points are that are more susceptible to breaking. Soneja said, “That welding isn’t just used for building new structures or parts but also used for repairing and replacing old or damaged parts or structures.”

This experience really puts into perspective how practical learning how to weld is for the students. It gives a real-world example of how welding can solve a problem and repair something that no one will ever know was needed.

“It’s also a great feeling knowing that I was able to contribute to not only my school district, but my community too,”Soneja states.