Article Text
Marshall High School junior Lyra Telley found her calling the first time she began working in the school’s auto shop. Now, as one of only two girls in her automotive technology class, she is building the skills she hopes will lead to a professional career as a mechanic.
Her interest in automotive repair grew partly from her family’s enthusiasm for cars. Telley said her grandfather taught her much of what she initially knew, while Marshall’s auto technology program has broadened that knowledge.
Students study vehicle bodies, wheel components and the proper use of tools before putting those lessons into practice. In Automotive Technology 2 and 3, they learn to repair used vehicles that can later be sold through a student-run auto sales shop.
The program also gives students experience diagnosing and repairing vehicles brought in by classmates and teachers. Instructors guide them through the work, allowing the shop to operate in ways that resemble the professional automotive industry.
“The first time that we got hands-on in the shop was the moment where I really, really fell in love with not just the class, but the whole industry in general,” Telley said.
Auto technology teacher Scott Reid said Telley brings more than mechanical ability to the shop. He pointed to her enthusiasm, communication and executive functioning skills as qualities that could help her succeed in the industry.
Telley has also encountered skepticism while pursuing a career in a field dominated by men. She said women are sometimes told they do not know how to complete a task or are doing it incorrectly.
Rather than letting those reactions derail her plans, Telley uses them as motivation.
“These [challenges] make me fall in love with [the industry] even more because I like to prove people wrong,” she said.
Physics teacher Sean Jones said Telley’s command of the details taught in the program makes her passion clear.
After graduating from high school, Telley plans to attend trade school and prepare for a career as a professional mechanic. She also encouraged other girls with an interest in cars to pursue it, calling automotive work one of the most enjoyable activities they can do.