Parent Teacher Magazine Union County Public Schools Sept/Oct 2018 | Page 12

CATA senior revs up for a career in the racing industry
There was a time when Central Academy of Technology
and Arts (CATA) senior Sam Jackson considered going to
a traditional college or university. So he spent a few days
with a friend who was enrolled at a nearby university to
get a feel of what college life could be like.
“That was when I realized that a four-year school
wasn’t for me. I wanted to go somewhere where I could
learn a trade and work within the next two years,” he
said. “Four-year colleges are great, but they’re not for
everyone.”
So when a NASCAR Technical Institute representative
visited Sam’s class during his sophomore year, the experience
was a bit of an “Aha! Moment” for him. The technical school, he
learned, allowed him the flexibility he was yearning to learn a
trade in an industry he was passionate about without having to
spend four years in college.
He applied to the NASCAR Technical Institute and was accepted
to the school’s 14-month automotive program – a program that
will put him one step closer to his dream job of working on a
racing team building motors and other mechanical-related work.
The technical institute couldn’t be a better fit for Sam, who has
been passionate about cars for as long as he can remember.
It was that passion for cars that led him to be a part of CATA’s
transportation academy, where he has spent his entire high school
career learning about everything from engines to transmissions.
He even helped build the school’s Rat Rod, which is a car built
from different parts of other cars.
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It’s also that passion for cars coupled with four years’ worth
of knowledge about the automotive industry that will give the
high school senior a competitive edge over his peers as he begins
classes at the technical institute this fall.
Reflecting on his time in high school, Sam said leaving the
award-winning magnet school will be a bittersweet moment
for him. He’s been involved in a number of extracurricular
activities, including the varsity football and basketball teams and
Superintendent’s Advisory Council.
However, he said, he’s looking forward to starting the next
chapter in his life.
“It’s always important to look at what you want to do and
figure out the path that is right for you,” he said. “This is a great
opportunity, and I’m grateful to have gone to a school like CATA,
where they helped lay a foundation down that will prepare me for
my future.”