2 hours ago
4
By the time you're on the hunt for your next car, you rarely think about what happens to your used model beyond getting rid of it as soon as possible.
But high school students in Virginia in the US aren't only fixing old and donated vehicles as part of their curriculum, but to help those in need.
Students from Louisa County High School who choose to partake in the school’s automotive technology program are tasked with learning how to repair and maintain the essential features of a car, such as its brakes, lights, tyres and engine.
While the class is undoubtedly valuable in teaching the next generation of drivers how to fix vehicles, the program – led by teacher Shane Robertson – has also changed the lives of various community members.
According to a January 2026 report by ABC News in the US, upon completion, the repaired cars the students work on are then donated to single mothers who are in desperate need of transport.
A single mum – who received one of the cars the students worked on – expressed the impact the kindness of random strangers had on her family and current situation.
“People that didn’t even know me, cared enough about my kids. You never know what one act of kindness will do,” she told the news outlet.
For Robertson, the program isn't only for students to hone real-life essential skills, but also serves as a place to make impactful change.
“They get the real-life grit behind why they’re actually doing a task. This is somebody’s real car and you’re really making a change in the world,” the teacher told ABC News.
The high school class – ran in partnership with local charity Giving Hands – has been running for eight years and was inspired by the hardships many single parents face.
According to Eddie Brown, the creator of Giving Hands, the program came from his experience as a single parent who needed help keeping his family afloat.
“I remember as a single parent sitting in the floor, colouring with my children and not being present because I was worried about how I was going to feed them,” Brown told local news outlet WTVR in September 2025.
The then-single parent began repairing and servicing vehicles for struggling parents in his local community, before reaching out to the local high school and its automotive program to expand the service.
The program has extended its workshop to cater not only just to single parents, but to all struggling community members who need automotive help.
By late 2025, Brown told WTVR, “we’ve given over 60 cars away [and] we’ve repaired over 260 cars”.
The wholesome program has reached all corners of the internet, with some social media users sharing their stories of how the program helped not only just single parents but also other community members.
In a January 13, 2026 Facebook post by Louisa County Public Schools, one local recalled the time the program helped her family.
“My girls are students here. My junior [high school kid] had a problem with her newly purchased, old truck and these students and teacher fixed it for her. Great program,” they said.
What do you think? Should Australia introduce an automotive program in the high school curriculum? Vote down below and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Ethan Cardinal graduated with a Journalism degree in 2020 from La Trobe University and has been working in the fashion industry as a freelance writer prior to joining Drive in 2023. Ethan greatly enjoys investigating and reporting on the cross sections between automotive, lifestyle and culture. Ethan relishes the opportunity to explore how deep cars are intertwined within different industries and how they could affect both casual readers and car enthusiasts.
