Nick Adcock, class of 2010, and brother Cyle Adcock, class of 2015, returned to Oak Lawn Community High School to speak with John Faro’s Advanced Automotives class. Nick and Cyle own Explosive Kustomz, an automotive customizing shop in Manteno, IL. They have created custom cars for famous athletes and entertainers, such as Joe Perry from Aerosmith. They shared information from their custom car business and offered suggestions and encouragement for any students interested in this career. After the presentation, students were able to check out one of their creations: a 1964 International pickup truck.
Oak Lawn Community High School offers three levels of automotive technology: Automotive Essentials, which introduces students to automobiles and vehicle ownership; Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair, which exposes students to vehicle systems and how to maintain and repair a vehicle; and Advanced Automotive Technology, a year-long course that dives deeper into vehicle repair and offers specific curriculum for a career in the automotive industry.
John Faro said, “I think it is an amazing opportunity for our students to see graduates find success in their careers and want to come back and share their experiences with the future generation of the workforce. These two brothers are a great example of having passion, working hard, and following their dreams. Showing students another avenue to the automotive world in a career that requires creativity, problem-solving, and dedication to learn a craft. The projects they work on are one-of-a-kind and the sort of thing you read about in magazines. They enjoyed sharing their stories with our students and the students really enjoyed seeing the fruits of their labor. Experiences such as this are unique, and something we hope to be able to more of.”
Department chair Jen Faro added, “The CTE program at Oak Lawn Community High School is thriving and is constantly offering new and innovative ways to provide students with the skills, knowledge and training needed to be successful in both college and career opportunities. From offering dual credit, industry-recognized credentials, to bringing in guest speakers as Mr. Faro has done with Explosive Kustoms, our teachers are striving to provide our students with the skills and opportunities needed to succeed in the future.”