Automotive technology class at SBHS gives students career experience
By: Madeleine Johnson
Thanks to the South Brunswick High School’s automotive technology program, several graduating seniors already have four years of experience in their chosen career paths.
The auto shop program, run by teacher Michael Andrusiewicz, comprises Auto I, Auto II and Auto III. While the program runs for three years, students have found ways to take all three classes and remain involved through their senior years.
"I’ve been taking (auto shop) since I was a freshman," said senior Anthony Provenzano. "For my senior year, I did an independent study with auto shop."
"I took one auto class every year," said senior Brian Korodan. "Now I’m helping the Auto III class work on a ’64 Pontiac Valiant for my independent study."
Senior Chris Calefati has been taking the auto classes throughout his high school career and also chose to do an independent study this year.
"I picked my own projects. This year, in the beginning of the year, me and the other students in the independent study rebuilt a motorcycle. Then we rebuilt the motor that’s going into one of the cars we’re working on, then toward the end of the year we started putting one of the cars back together."
Anthony and Brian will both be attending Universal Technical Institute once they graduate from SBHS, though they will go to different campuses: Anthony will be in Exton, Pa., and Brian will be in Orlando, Fla.
"One guy came and showed us the program from UTI so me and my parents were looking into it. I want to further myself, and I still have a lot to learn, so UTI is the proper school to go to," Anthony said.
"I originally went down to UTI to look at the marine school but I decided I liked the car school down there," Brian said. "They help you with jobs now and in the future, and after you graduate they tell you to come back. They help you always."
Both students grew up watching their fathers work on vehicles. Anthony said his father was always working on cars and drove a taxi that he repaired on his own. Brian’s father owns a garage, where he works a few times a week.
"I had 13 bicycles when I was a kid, and I was always tearing them apart and putting them back together. When I was 14, I bought my first car and started putting it together," Anthony said. "It was pretty exciting, since I used to always work on my sister’s Geo and could mess with my own car."
While his father’s business helped push Brian toward the automotive business, it was the SBHS auto classes that ultimately hooked him.
"My dad opened up his own shop, but I took the class because Mr. (Philip) Ricci he’s no longer at the school, he was our football coach was originally why I enrolled in the class," Brian said. "I needed an elective, so I figured I’d do one with my football coach, but then I really liked it and wanted to stick with it."
Chris, who will be attending Rutgers University’s engineering school, was first exposed to automotive repair by his neighbors, and discovered his passion for car design through his classes at the high school.
"Whenever I was hanging out with them, I helped them. The more I got involved, the more I got interested," Chris said. "Originally I just wanted to be able to work on a car so I didn’t have to pay a mechanic. But the more I took the classes, I got more interested in it and started to customize my own cars."
The seniors agree that taking SBHS’s auto classes were beneficial not only to their career directions, but also for the common knowledge they gained.
"A few years ago, my dad was like ‘Don’t touch my car’ and now he tells me to go fix it when it doesn’t work properly," Anthony said. "You’re always going to have a car and it’s going to break down. You should at least know how to fix a flat tire or change an air filter or wiper blades," Chris said.
Former student Tony Bertucci, who graduated from SBHS last year and currently is attending the UTI campus in Exton, can attest to the quality of the high school’s auto shop classes.
"I can’t even describe it. At my school, I’m ahead of everybody," Tony said. "I can’t even explain how much (the classes) helped me."
Tony, who already has a job through UTI and said he never got lower than an A in his auto classes, was eager to give Mr. Andrusiewicz much of the credit for his success.
"Mr. A, he’s been a close friend of mine as far back as when I was a freshman. I was the type that would always get into trouble and I can thank him for straightening me out. He took me to where I am now and I can’t thank him enough," Tony said.
Other students also say Mr. Andrusiewicz is a big reason why the auto program has been such a success.
"Mr. A does a great job teaching," Chris said. "He makes sure everyone has the opportunity to learn everything and that everyone gets a chance."
"He always guided me in the right direction and helped me make the right decision," Brian said.
Ultimately, the auto students feel they’ve been given an opportunity other students haven’t.
"I have a couple of friends that want to go into mechanical engineering. They say they have no idea how a car works," Chris said. "I’m definitely ready, I just need the background from Rutgers to get a job."
"(Auto shop) is a great program," Anthony said. "It teaches you how to take care of your car. Almost everything I know I pretty much learned from Mr. A. There are some things I learned from my father and brother, but most things I’ve learned were from Mr. A over the last four years."

