Rob Van Der Hagen next to the trophy case in the Bold High School hallway .
race team . The team has been featured in local and national media and has an impressive following on social media .
“ Traditionally , when you hear the term ‘ shop kid ,’ you think of kids who don ’ t want to do anything , they ’ re not an athlete , they can often be off by themselves or feel like they don ’ t fit in ,” Van Der Hagen said . “ They have never experience competition – nothing at school challenges them that they want to compete in . Grades certainly aren ’ t it , biology isn ’ t going to do that .
“ I ’ m a firm believer in having something to strive for . That feeling of winning and what it can do for you is incredible ,” he continued . “ It ’ s paramount in business , you want that to be successful , but some of these kids have no idea what that feels like . Well , you put them on a race team and we ’ re competing against veteran guys who spend tens of thousands of dollars , yet we do very well .
“ And when these kids win and they get their picture on Facebook holding that trophy , and when they walk into school and are now officially the fastest kid in school because you did 110 miles-per-hour that past weekend , it literally changes the kid ,” Van Der Hagen said . “ I have seen a kid who was failing , hated everything about school and was ready to drop out , who now is here at 7:30 a . m . every day during race season , wanting to know what we are going to do to the sled that day .”
old , one of Van Der Hagen students has already become a professional welder , another works for a manufacturer and a third works at a local dealership fixing golf carts and powersports equipment .
Still others have gotten enthused about snowmobiling and snowmobile racing . Wittman , for example , said with a grin that post-graduation he ’ s hoping to build his own race sled and challenge Van Der Hagen on the track .
Training future techs and boosting snowmobiling were two of Van Der Hagen ’ s stated goals . But overall , he ’ s hoping the classes inspire kids who otherwise may slip through the cracks .
The attention the program has gained has also created a stir beyond the southern Minnesota farm fields . Van Der Hagen ’ s been contacted by shop teachers far and wide who would like to do something similar .
“ This has all the potential of becoming a state high school league competition ,” he said . In town , he and Superintendent Hagen said there hasn ’ t been a single objection to the 100 mph speeds . “ My take on it was , how did that conversation go when the first person walked into a superintendent ’ s office and said , ‘ Hey , I want to have the kids shooting shotguns for trap for high school ?’ So , it can be done .”
Building A Future
Though the program is just three years
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