Matt Gardello heads off to trade school (Universal Technical Institute) to study auto-mechanics.
matt gardello//contributerGregory BoehmStaff WriterWhile some students spend their fifth period learning how to differentiate equations or analyzing “Heart of Darkness,” senior Matt Gardello spends it in the Samo Auto Shop tuning up his truck.Gardello has been in Auto Shop for two years now. According to Auto Shop teacher and ROP/Science/Technology Department Chair Dan Cox, Gardello has excelled ever since he started taking the class.“He brought in his own car and did a lot of body work on it,” Cox said. “He changed the suspension and brakes. He and one of his partners are really enthusiastic about it everyday. And then when we had private school recruiters come in he expressed interest last year as a junior and this year signed up to attend the Universal Technical Institute (UTI).”UTI is a nationwide provider of technical education training for students looking to seek careers as automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians. For anyone looking to pursue a career in auto-mechanics this is an ideal place. UTI even has an entire school specializing in NASCAR operations.UTI was not the only technical school Gardello was considering though. A few schools came to the auto shop class to try to recruit new students and Gardello was most interested in UTI and another national technical school called WyoTech. In the end, Gardello chose to attend UTI, but he had a lot of options when choosing his next step towards becoming a mechanic.Gardello originally signed up to take Auto Shop at Samo because of his deep love for cars. According to Gardello he has had a passion for cars and how they work ever since he was a little kid. Once he got his own car he was able to see the benefits of being knowledgeable and experienced in the world of auto mechanics.“I love cars and wanted to work on cars and learn about them. I’ve had my car for a year. It’s a ’94 Nissan truck. I’ve been working on it for the past year. I put a new intake on it, I fixed the bodywork and I fixed the bumper, fixed the horn, window washers and suspension. It’s great because I can do all that stuff and pay very little because there are no labor fees.”That love turned into a passion that Gardello now plans to pursue following high school. Gardello says that he has found the perfect place for him to continue his education.“I always knew I didn’t really want to go to college. I’m not really a college student, so I wanted to find something different and I found that in Auto Shop."gboehm@thesamohi.com
