By Solomon Crenshaw Jr. | The Birmingham Times
Blueberry is the latest member of the Modern Manufacturing Program class at Fairfield High Preparatory School.
No, Blueberry isn’t a student, but it may be the class favorite.
Blueberry, as instructor Karl Owens calls it, is the obsidian blue 2025 Honda Passport AWD that was unveiled Thursday as a gift from Honda and the United Way. Students, faculty and dignitaries assembled in front of the school for the reveal.
“It allows the class to disassemble and reassemble the vehicle, giving them an experience of what they might receive in the actual automotive plant,” Owens said after the ceremony. “We’ll be able to take the tires off, doors, seats … basically take the whole vehicle apart and put it back together and try to make sure that it works properly, like it did before.”
Teriann Bailey, workforce partnership lead at Honda, said the vehicle gifted to the school is more than just a vehicle.
“It’s a classroom,” she said. “Students will have the opportunity to work directly with a real product, gaining practical experience that mirrors what happens every day inside our manufacturing facility. This kind of exposure builds confidence, skills and awareness.”
Among the visitors from Honda was Brian Burton, an alumnus of Fairfield.
“When I took a mechanical drawing class — I remember the teacher’s name, Mrs. Fuller — I never knew that would translate into me becoming an engineer down at the (Honda) Alabama Auto Plant,” he said. “I appreciate that foundation and that skill set that I got and I retained. I went to college and was interested in manufacturing. It was called manufacturing technology. I attended Southeast Missouri State University.
“I eventually got hired at Alabama Auto Plant in 2004,” Burton said. “I’ve been employed there for 22 years and have been an engineer for 18.”
Johnathan Byrd, modern manufacturing project manager of the Modern Manufacturing Program Center of Excellence, said the skills taught in the Modern Manufacturing class could lead a student to building cars or cabinets.
“We’re not pigeonholing kids to say, Hey, get the skill set and go work at an auto plant,” Byrd said. “No. You can go do construction. You can do automation. You can go in many different directions.
“Every kid is not meant to go work at a huge plant,” he continued. “I’ve got some kids who prefer to work at a smaller machine shop. There are many different avenues. The automotive industry is huge, and a lot of kids are going to go and have gone into automotive manufacturing. But some kids took apprenticeships in carpentry or welding. There are a lot of different avenues.”
Fairfield High senior LaDarius Dawson expressed gratitude to Byrd for helping him find a career and to Owens for all he’s taught him.
“Being taught under Mr. Owens, it’s been great,” Dawson said. “I’m one of the first students to ever be in the Modern Manufacturing Program and Mr. Owens has been teaching it magnificently. He’s taught us more than just manufacturing. He’s given us life lessons and taught us hands-on skills. He’s actually taught us about welding back there, carpentry and a lot more things.”
To learn more about the Modern Manufacturing Program Center of Excellence, visit www.learnmanufacturing.com.
