Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Junior Engine Challenge completed its first ever STEM Day last Friday, April 20 at the Universal Technical Institute in Lisle, IL.

Ninety-Four 5th graders from Ranch View Elementary School in Naperville, IL came on a field trip to the UTI location to learn about how STEM relates to the automotive field.

The day started off with a visit from Congressman Peter Roskam (IL) who stopped by to support the STEM event.

Students arrived shortly after 9am and found their color-coded tables with a Hot Rodder JR Shirt with their name label on their chair.

Congressman Roskam spoke to students about the importance of working with your hands and STEM activities.

UTI Campus President Julie Muller thanked the students and teachers for coming to their campus and gave them a guideline for the day’s activities.

Hot Rodders Ryan Gortney followed up with talking about exciting careers and the fun one can have in the automotive industry. Gortney also went over what they will be doing with the engine and got them fired up for the day!

After the introductions were completed, the students were split and placed in Red, White or Blue teams. Once teams reported to the Ford Lab they were split into teams of 2 or 3 students and reported to one of the 10 JR HROT engine stations.

There, with their HROT mentor they completely disassembled and reassembled a Briggs and Stratton overhead cam engine. Once completed they took a team photo with their mentor.

After the photo they were able to look at two Junior Dragsters on display and participate in a reaction timing light in a half car Junior Dragster.

Besides the activities the students participated in with Hot Rodders, they were able to take a tour of the UTI campus, participate in a UTI STEM activity, and color in an Edelbrock coloring book challenge.

Numerous students said “this was the best and most fun field trip they have ever been on.” This was just a start to how the Hot Rodders are reaching students at a younger age and letting them begin to experience the automotive aftermarket industry.

For more information: HotRoddersofTomorrow.com