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<\/a>The companies\u2019 clients are family members and other individuals from the community who have submitted walking mowers and other lawn and garden equipment for students to evaluate and return. By mid-April, Kennedy had 275 items in the inventory, and his students will document and explain their findings on work orders for each evaluation they complete.<\/p>\n
To support this authentic learning experience, Kennedy was awarded a Virginia Beach Education Foundation (VBEF) grant funded by Thompson Consulting Engineers. A previous VBEF grant Kennedy received was used to buy extra sets of industry-standard tools such as tachometers, torque wenches, sonic cleaners, compression testers and leak down testers, to ensure students were not waiting on tool availability in their respective \u201ccompanies.\u201d This year\u2019s grant, Kennedy explained, was used to purchase a STIHL technician\u2019s toolbox that includes specialty tools for working on STIHL equipment as well as other manufacturers\u2019 two-stroke equipment.<\/p>\n
\u201cSTIHL has also been gracious enough to open up their technician website to us. The students are all logged on as technicians, and they have access to everything that the guys in the field do,\u201d Kennedy added. Students have access to equipment specifications, parts lists, unit costs, repower costs as well as training videos and master technician assessments.<\/p>\n Sophomores John Huston and Christopher Hudson are ready for their first client, and Kennedy issues them a walking mower brought in by Gina Swoope. After noting the client\u2019s name and the equipment\u2019s type, model and code, the team goes through the four steps of a \u201cquick check\u201d to determine if the engine works \u2013 verify compression, verify spark, verify oil and fuel levels, and start the engine<\/em>. When they take the mower outside to check the fourth step, Huston gives Hudson two thumbs up when the engine starts and runs without burning oil or strange noises.<\/p>\n Nick Fallejo and Carter Smith are not so lucky. Their client\u2019s walking mower quickly failed the \u201cquick check,\u201d and they called over Kennedy to provide assistance with next steps. There is talk of an \u201cautopsy\u201d and, if the engine is determined to be beyond economic repair, they will contact the client. Any non-functioning equipment the class is able to keep is disassembled with sustainability in mind.<\/p>\n \u201cWe save all the parts. Anything we can recycle, we recycle,\u201d said Kennedy. \u201cWe scrap out the metal and steel. The gas and oil we recycle. Engines that are beyond repair are the ones the students take apart and measure in class for practice. Our footprint is absolutely as small as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n Having determined their lawnmower runs, Huston and Hudson work through a more detailed analysis of the engine to evaluate 17 additional items on the work order: visual inspection, ignition cut-off function, spark plug connection, compression test reading, leak down test, starter rope check, blade condition<\/em> and so on. When the blade proves dull, Kennedy calls everyone over for a lesson on how to sharpen a blade.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy do we want the blade to be sharp,\u201d Kennedy asked the group surrounding him. \u201cWe want to cut the grass, not beat it to death. And we don\u2019t want to tear it or cut it too short. These wings here channel the air to keep the grass standing up so you can cut it.\u201d After Kennedy\u2019s demonstration, the technicians go back to their respective companies, and Huston takes a turn to sharpen the blade on his client\u2019s lawnmower.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>