Building Bridges Academy is continually looking to expand the vocational offerings to enhance the academic options for the students. Fall 2021 brought the Introduction of Automotive Service Technology course.  David Mitchell joined the team last winter as the vocational teacher,  David has taught vocational classes for many years, after retiring from his own engineering company, consulting with NASA and Boeing, among others. He left the business world to follow his passion of working with students. Last semester the students in his Industrial Engineering & Design class used industry-standard software (Solidworks) to collaborate on a single 3D printed project as well as complete an individual project of their own design.

All the students, whether they are enrolled at Thompson Falls High School or attending Bridges Academy, are eligible to participate in these classes.

Over the summer the Automotive Service Technology curriculum was finalized and the students are looking forward to working on their project car. All basic maintenance items will be covered including engine repair and tuning, braking systems, electrical systems, drive train (automatic and manual), and more.

Building Bridges Academy is to add to the vocational program with this class and will continue to add additional classes to enhance the students’ academic experience.

About Building Bridges

Building Bridges is a Therapeutic Boarding School in Thompson Falls, MT for boys 14-18 with substance and behavior issues. Our passion is creating a structure that mirrors real life including the opportunity of attending public school. We strive to show our students how substance use has created behaviors that have gotten in the way of pursuing their passions. We believe by teaching them how to have self-confidence and create a more positive manner they can see their growth through using what they learn in a normalized safe environment that will transfer to wherever their next step is.