By Pam Pollock

SHIPPENVILLE, PA....The high school students from the Diesel Technology Shop Program at the Clarion County Career Center are currently hard at work transforming a 2004 Peterbilt 379EX for Carl Carsten, owner of Rockwood Products.  The students have been working on the truck since the first week of school back in September 2010.  Students from the Career Center's Carpentry Shop are also contributing to the truck with several woodworking projects, including cabinets.

Once again top trucking industry leaders and manufacturers have stepped up to the plate to offer the students donated products and services, including: Chard Graphics, Aluminum Wheel, Firestone, Fontaine, PPG, Jones Performance Products, Chrome Shop Mafia and 4 State Trucks, Lincoln Chrome, Roadworks, Lifetime Lugnuts, Howe’s Lubricator, Outlaw Customs, and Qualitex.

The thirty-nine Diesel Technology students are nearing completion of the truck and will be hitting the road in March to attend the 40th Annual Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky on March 30, April 1 and 2.  This year they will not be competing in the 22nd Annual PKY Truck Beauty Championship at MATS – but – they will be displaying "Extra Credit" near the PKY Truck Beauty Championship Sponsor Tent.

We've given you a "teaser" photo of the work in progress on "Extra Credit."  We will be featuring "Extra Credit" in all of its finished glory in our April edition of Movin' Out. Stop by the PKY Truck Beauty Championship and check out "Extra Credit" for yourself.  The students and their instructor, Don Doverspike, will be on hand to talk about their award winning trucks that they have built over the past three years. 

The students have been actively fundraising to pay for their trip from Pennsylvania to Kentucky and are accepting donations.  If you would like to contribute, you can send your donations to Donnie Doverspike, Diesel Technology Instructor, Clarion County Career Center, 447 Career Lane, Shippenville, Pa. 16254. Email: ddoverspike@clarioncte.org or phone 814-226-4391 Ext.133.