Dedication. Determination. Diligence.
Power of Youth is changing the lives of the students involved.
Matt Heumann
Education: currently enrolled in the WCTC automotive program
Goals: to complete the WCTC program and gain his ASE certificates
Benefit of Power of Youth: the pool of knowledge - each student and mentor brings a different level of knowledge to the table, and each person shares the knowledge they have, which edifies all others
Life Lesson Learned: how to communicate with people
Funny Memory: having a cake fight for (mentor) Ken's birthday; seeing the innocent bystander who walked through the shop door get plastered in the face with cake!
Knowledge Gained: every aspect of making a car! (transmission, suspension, body work, things specific to racing cars, etc.) Matt unexpectedly learned a lot about body work, something he was not initially interested in learning.
Closing Thoughts: Power of Youth is the place to be - Matt highly recommends the program!
Justin Thompson
Education: currently enrolled in a WCTC 2-year automotive program; Justin works for Bergstrom Chevrolet while attending WCTC
Goals: currently to complete schooling
Benefit of Power of Youth: vast knowledge gained and experience in building a car
Funny Memory: during the trip up North, the Power of Youth gang took a Mitsubishi Montero Stock SUV, put tires on it, and started mudding with it; it worked pretty well!
Benefit of Mentors: mentor Scott has been a huge asset to the program with his vast knowledge of everything pertaining to cars, specifically mechanical
Knowledge Gained: Justin has learned a lot about body work during his time in Power of Youth
McKabe Memmel
Education: currently a freshman at West Bend High School
Goals: to stay in Power of Youth as long as possible to learn as much as he can; after high school, McKabe's goals are the attend technical college, become a mechanic, and own his own body shop
Benefits of Power of Youth: learning body work has been the best part
Life Lesson Learned: to take advantage of relationships because you never know who you are talking to and how those relationships can help you network
Funny Memory: McKabe's dad's (Ken) birthday party cake fight
Benefit of Mentors: they teach you a lot and are funny
Josh
Education: currently a senior at Menomonee Falls High School
Goals: to attend MATC to become an environmentalist
Benefits of Power of Youth: the biggest benefit for Josh is knowing that even after he has completed the program, he will always have people to go to if he ever needs help
Life Lesson Learned: don't slack off; focus on what you're doing; be on time; and if you have time to lean, you have time to clean!
Benefit of Mentors: the mentors have helped Josh learn to work better with people and to become a better person in general
Funny Memory: Josh's funny memory is when he and mentor Scott were making the break lines and coming up with nicknames
Knowledge Gained: the more you put into something, the more you will get out of it!
Education: currently a Senior at Hamilton High School
Goals: to attend UW-Waukesha for core classes and see what life brings from there
Benefit of Power of Youth: the opportunity to work with things and learn things that he would never otherwise have the opportunity to do
Life Lesson Learned: how to work with people and communicate well
Benefit of Mentors: guidance and knowledge in how to build the car and what to do in detailed situations
Funny Memory: weekend up North, especially mini-golfing where Power of Youth group were the only people there; Matt Heumann's nickname, "Lips," was born during mini-golfing because he was being "super loud"
Kyle Pettis
Education: currently a Senior at Hartford Union High School; enrolled in the co-op program wherein he participates in half-days at the high school followed by an apprenticeship with a machinist
Goals: to own a car like the one Power of Youth is building; to go to St. Louis for education on machinery
Benefit of Power of Youth: gaining experience on cars, and being able to drive the car when it is finished!
Life Lesson Learned: leadership and respect for others
Benefit of Mentors: the mentors are open and welcoming and make you feel at home; when Kyle's car broke down, Scott helped him rebuild it
Mitch Herbst
Education: currently a Senior at Pewaukee High School
Goals: to go to technical college, gain an automotive degree, continue schooling to gain a business degree, and open his own shop
Benefit of Power of Youth: gaining practical knowledge of body work
Life Lesson Learned: how to work better as a team
Funny Memory: throwing cake at (mentor) Ken
Benefit of Mentors: they are good at providing life lessons such as how to be on time, how to be respectful, and how to grow in maturity
Tammi Litza
Education: currently a senior at Sussex Hamilton High School
Goals: to either attend MATC for a welding certificate or enter the Marines and gain a welding degree within the armed forces
Benefits of Power of Youth: gaining social skills and self-confidence; having a secure environment to ask questions without feeling unintelligent
Life Lesson Learned: to always be confident in yourself even if no one else is
Funny Memory: early in the Power of Youth program, for a former mentor's birthday the gang decided to surprise ambush the mentor with water balloons. However, Tammi got cornered outside by the water balloon bucket and the mentor dumped the entrie bucket on her! She could not get dry for the entire night, but she had a lot of fun!
Benefit of Mentors: learning how to take a joke
Knowledge Gained: one thing Tammi will remember is, "measure two times; cut once." She said she had made that mistake too many times!
Closing Thoughts: Tammi is "really really glad" that she became a part of the Power of Youth program and has stuck with it to this point. It has made a great impact on her life by providing her with immense knowledge and a great group of people. In Tammi's own words, "I am greatful and humbled by it all."
