GM seeks next great car designer in Detroit high schools
In March General Motors partnered with the College for Creative Studies and began visiting 15 Detroit area public high schools to seek out and encourage the next generation of car designers coming up the ranks. Seasoned car designers from GM's Design Center and students from CSS provided instruction to the students who were charged with designing a vehicle for the 17-25 year-old crowd. The 50 lucky students chosen for the program, which is called "You Make a Difference," were invited to also participate in Advanced Sketching Clinics during the summer and six will receive a $5,000 scholarship towards freshman tuition at CSS. Last night the students' work was displayed at an evening reception held at CSS. We'll be scouring the net for some pics of the students' work in the coming days.If GM and the College for Creative Studies had walked into my high school I probably would have vacated my bowels in excitement as, like many young auto enthusiasts, car design was at the top of my list for future careers. Unfortunately I (arguably) learned how to construct complete sentences while speaking colorfully about cars... sigh.
[Source: GM]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Finished.Law.School 3:25PM (5/24/2006)
I can see the barely educated runts in the Detroit public school system having better idea designs compared to the idiots that GM is paying for that now...
Best of luck to whoever risks rape, assault, robbery and murder to venture onto the school grounds at any Detroit school...
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ha ha 3:30PM (5/24/2006)
I'm guessing CSS (used 3 times) stands for College for creative StudieS.
Idiot.
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Jim 3:49PM (5/24/2006)
Finished.Law.School
Your ignorance is unquestionable.
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Finished.Law.School 4:33PM (5/24/2006)
Jim, I see that you are not familiar with the situation at Detroit public schools.
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Brian 4:44PM (5/24/2006)
Why not open this up to public schools across the country? I'd think the search would fare especially well in magnate/charter high schools that have a technical/design focus.
This about it, GM. They don't have to be in your backyard; the Internet is a wonderful tool.
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dave 4:45PM (5/24/2006)
we all know all lawyers are ass holes, but finished law school, you are the hemorrhoid.
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Carlton 5:06PM (5/24/2006)
Detroit high school students? What type of interiors are they designing-graffiti covered rolling boom boxes?
But after looking at them, maybe it is a step up from the preschoolers who design the current GM interiors. Maybe they'll get beyond the fingerpaint and play-doh look.
Gives a whole new meaning to "Body by Fisher. Interior by Fisher-Price."
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Tom Design 5:19PM (5/24/2006)
This is a wonderful program. With backing for the arts and design in the inner city, budge lacking schools, GM is showing it's philanthropy and far sightedness. With the economy in the toilet, and Federal funds cutting aid to the States every new cabinet, it is commendable when the private sector jumps in and funds art education. It's the first area to be cut. At our school, the only way we balance our books in the black is through private foundation grants and alumni donations. Very few schools are profitable, even fewer can manage on tuition/fees for their operating budgets.
Someday, these kids from Detroit may work for GM, Ford, Toyota and Honda design centers in California, showing how art students in our country are leaders in creative, beautiful, "fresh" automobiles.
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gbh 9:45PM (5/24/2006)
Tom,
C'mon, that's sounds great and all, perhaps you don't appreciate the scope of the disaster that Detroit and it's public schools are. Even if GM were to throw 50-100MM (that it doesn't have) at these "benevolent" projects *nothing* will change.
Sadly, the US is full of urban school districts that make the old 'Substitute' movies look like a cakewalk. Detroit is one of many.
This is absolutely no different than E85. Just another sleight of hand to keep your eyes off the unfolding trainwreck that is GM. But hey, the Streeters are suckering in a new round of chumps by running the stock up like 8% today.
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That One Person 1:04AM (5/25/2006)
This is good news. CCS is a great school and I also have a few friends who go there. The talent that goes into that school is amazing and the talent that comes out is even better. And giving some young artists an opportunity to work with a big corporation is amazing. It will definitely give them something good to put on a future resume...
And yea, I have to agree, Detroit's school are in a deep hole. But that doesn't mean every single student is bad. Surprisingly, there is good in Detroit...
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anahit 1:58AM (5/25/2006)
"Detroit area public high schools" does NOT necessarily mean just Detroit public high schools. Indeed, it can mean zero public high schools in Detroit. One doesn't have to be from Detroit to know it has suburbs.
In fact, FinisheddotLawdotSchool, one of the rules of construction you no doubt learned in law skool says this author meant something other than just Detroit public high schools. Otherwise the word "area" has no meaning.
Ironic how poor reading comprehension leads people to rip on Detroit public schools. They don't need your help in that, no matter how incorrectly arrived.
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Philbert 8:20AM (5/25/2006)
One big problem with GM and Ford is that they're stuck in the midwestern rut and largely out of touch with many of todays car buyers. Getting more Detroiters into GM ranks isn't going to improve product. How about going into schools in Dallas, Seattle, Phoenix or Atlanta and try to get some fresh ideas? GM is going to have to start thinking outside the box if they're going to succeed.
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P to the C 8:25AM (5/25/2006)
How low must your self esteem be to have to constantly remind everyone that you finished law school?
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Jim 10:52AM (5/25/2006)
Finished.Law.School
My 4 children are in 3 different Detroit schools. And yes, the public school system has problems but for you to say "any" school indicates you don't know situation.
One of Detroit's main problem is negative generalizations by those that don't live in the city. People like to interject their own views of Detroit on others, and after a while, unfounded opinions become facts to those that don't know.
For the record, none of my children have been involved or experienced the rape, assault, robbery and murder that occurs at "any" Detroit school.
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joe 10:52PM (5/25/2006)
Next thing you know 20-inch spinners, trunk-sized systems, laid-back seats, and dark tinted windows will come standard with all GM's. How great is that! Celebrating diversity at its finest, yo.
Seriously, GM, get out of the midwest and see rest of this country! You are not gonna get anything fresh out of these Detroit kids. People in the rest of the country are not buying your cars, do you see a problem?
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Denis 5:53AM (11/29/2007)
I have great talent in car design and I'm looking forward to join the industry. I belive when assisted to join this industry, I will be one of the greatest stars. I have over 20 great car designs in pencil at the moment.
I Istudied fine art widely and completed Uganda Advanced Level of Education last year and I passed very well.
I to join a school of car design but I do not have enough money to travel abroad to persue the course. on addition to that, I do not have enough information about foregin schools and schools of car design.
I'm therefore requesting you to help me to achieve my dream.
I promise to dedicate the money and copy right of the fist 5 cars that I will design and produce to any one who will assist me to join the industry. It could be you, please help me.
Information about me.
Name ; Ojok Denis
Email; jk_dns@yahoo.com
ojokdenis@gmail.com
Age; 20
Gender; Male
Country; Uganda, East Africa
character, non smoker, non alcholic, kind, honest and calm.
Please, write to me through the above address, I will be grateful to hear from you.
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