Remember things like shop class being offered in high schools? S&S Cycle, Inc. does! And they are contributing to the cause. “We were approached by a high school a few states away that has a fairly established engines program and it occurred to us we should help create something like that locally,” says VP of Marketing David Zemla.
Not only did S&S step up donating 7 complete engines to the Viroqua High School’s shop program, they also supplied tools, a curriculum and even sent in an instructor to support the work several times per week. “Before working at S&S Cycle, I was an instructor at a technical school that focused on the motorcycle industry, so helping with this program was an easy transition," adds S&S Cycle’s Kevin Boarts.
A staple in the performance motorcycle industry for the last 60 years, S&S employs 270 people, many of whom attended VHS or have children in their school system. Lead by instructor Bill Hannah, Viroqua High School’s shop class is a student favorite, covering a broad spectrum of subjects from small engines to drywall and basic electrical, all viable real world skillsets, particularly in the rural setting of the Driftless Region.
Kids got the chance to break down an engine to the cases, learn the theories behind internal combustion and gain confidence in their ability to take something apart and put it back together correctly. S&S intends to roll the program out to several more schools across the next six months as well as offering internships to interested students during the summer months.