Students get hands-on experience turning their car sketches into clay models during the FCA Design Team's June 2, 2016, visit to a metro Detroit elementary school. 

Design,Our People | June 03 2016

Creating pathways: FCA Design continues reaching out to students

IMG_2165

Vince Galante gives Anyana tip for working with molding clay, while Sarah and Rosalyn work on their clay models.

When you love what you do, you want to share it.

And that’s what the FCA Design Office does throughout the year, whether meeting with owners at car shows or inspiring future designers by working with schools. Throughout the year, FCA designers meet with metro Detroit students, from elementary to junior high to high school.

This week, eight designers, including those from the sculpting group, visited Roosevelt Elementary School near Detroit to teach 52 third and fourth graders how to transform car sketches into clay models.

“Our hope is that we spark the interest of a future car designer or clay modeler,” said Joe Dehner – Head of Ram Truck and Mopar Design, “and, there’s no better way to ignite students’ passion than to get their hands on the same clay we use to create vehicles every day.

“Through our student outreach program, we hope to inspire and inform kids of all ages about careers in automotive design,” he added.

A week before, Dehner visited the school, talking about design, and left each student with a sketch pad. Their assignment? Draw a car to be made into a model later.

We captured some of the interaction here, and you can see more at the FCA Design Roosevelt Elementary Flickr album.

And, if you don’t get a chance to catch up to FCA Design at a local car show or a metro Detroit school, you can still demonstrate your automotive design skills in the annual FCA Drive for Design, open to U.S. high school students in grades 10-12.