Rat Rod Giveaway!
2023 WFTF/Ranken Technical College
1937 Dodge Truck Rat Rod Giveaway!
Email info@wrenchingforthefuture.com to learn how to enter the giveaway.
Proceeds from this giveaway will help create a scholarship fund for Ranken Tech.
In mid-February 2023, a group of WFTF build team members from Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Texas descended on the Ranken campus. Throughout the course of the week, a total of more than 100 students participated and had the opportunity to work with WFTF build team members to learn skills like welding, grinding, upholstery, and wiring.
Students spent the week alongside the WFTF build team members and Ranken automotive instructors to build this one-off truck in just four and a half days. The truck got a new motor, transmission, wiring, front disc brakes, drive shaft, and upholstery, just to name a few, while the students got the hands-on opportunity to use tools they had never used before nd work in a setting typical of a trade occupation.
About Us
2023 SCHOOL BUILDS:
Ranken Technical College - February 20 - 24, 2023 - St. Louis, MO
Northwest Kansas Tech - October 9 - 13, 2023
2024 SCHOOL BUILDS:
Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) - February 26 - March 1 - Smyrna, TN
Ranken Technical College - TBD
We are living in the digital age, where technology opens the door to a wide variety of employment opportunities for future generations. Unfortunately, the advancements in technology leave a void in the workforce that has only been amplified by the widespread removal of vocational classes in high schools. The Wrenching for the Future program is dedicated to promoting skilled labor trades, in lieu of a typical four-year college, in an effort to create more jobs for today’s youth.
The harsh reality is that a degree from a four-year college often leaves the student in a tremendous amount of debt, with a high percentage of graduates still struggling to find satisfaction in their career path. Meanwhile, skilled labor trades are in high demand, offering excellent pay and other great benefits that can provide a rewarding, lifelong career
The Wrenching for the Future organization works through a few different programs: Build a Rat Rod in 1 week; WFTF High School Challenge; and soon a Touch-a-Tool Trailer with training stations. All allowing students to learn about fabrication, mechanics, and to use hand and power tools, in addition to general problem-solving and creative thinking.
A new program we created is for local mechanic shops to start clubs or workshops to teach kids about the automotive industry and give kids an opportunity to learn to use tools and work with their hands. This last program can be as easy as teaching how to change oil or as difficult as building a rat rod or restoring a car. The level of difficulty will be left up to the coordinators – we just need to see mentors teaching and they will benefit from our access to sponsor materials that are donated or other support opportunities for their local club.
The quick turn-around in most of these programs is practical for both the kids, school/shop coordinator and WFTF, and it allows for a swell of social media activity during the the time the kids are working.
When a 1 week build is finished, the vehicle is sold, auctioned or transferred through a giveaway contest to create a scholarship fund for prospective tech school students in the area where the build took place.
While these funds help generate a scholarship program for the host school, the Wrenching for the Future organization is still in need of monetary assistance or in kind donations to be used for supplies, donor cars, transportation and other purposes along the course of each build.
A general scholarship fund has also been created and the funding is sourced from donors or car shows using WFTF as a benefactor of their proceeds.
Sponsorship options are plentiful, volunteer opportunities always exist and as in the case of any non-profit, we can't achieve our mission without your support.
At the end of the day, our goal is to encourage youth to participate in activities that provide hands-on trade skill opportunities in hopes that it creates a desire for a career in the automotive field or any trade for that matter. We hope you can join us on this journey to bring shop class back to America one rat rod at a time.
2023 Scholarship Recipients
These students were chosen to receive our scholarship for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Tyler Hartmann and Ethan Anderson are embarking on their tech school journey and path to a lifetime of trade skills and lucrative employment or business ownership.
Tyler is attending Ranken Tech in St. Louis, MO and Ethan is attending North Central Kansas Tech.
2022 Scholarship Recipients
These four young aspiring trades-people received $500.00 each from our scholarship program for the 2022-2023 school year.
Hurry and scroll up to download the application today! 2023-2024 Recipients will be chosen in August 2023.
Ryan Olsen - Northeast Community College in Nebraska, Haley Myers - Western Iowa Tech Community College in Iowa, Ashton Bearley - Northwest Kansas Tech, in Kansas and Aidan Ovik - Chippewa Valley Technical College, in Wisconsin.
Major Sponsor
Johnstone Supply in Iowa/Kansas/Nebraska
Johnstone is a national wholesale supplier of professional HVAC products. The location that serves the Iowa/Kansas/Nebraska area has provided a generous donation at the Major Sponsor level. Their support will help us secure tools and a trailer to transport them in.
Impact Sponsor
The U. S. Air Force is partnering with us on a school build in the Nashville area.
The recruitment office in Nashville, TN is coordinating a WFTF build at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) in Smyrna, TN. The build is scheduled to be held at the end of February 2024.
Basic Sponsors
Non-profit organizations can only exist through sponsorship contributions and individual doners.
We need to thank these sponsors who have donated to Wrenching For The Future in an amount of $500.00 to 999.99. Without your donations and/or sponsorships our programs are at risk.
Please consider becoming a sponsor and your business identity can be seen here just like these generous folks!
Major Sponsor = $10,000.00 or more
Impact Sponsor = $5,000.00 to $9,999.99
Supporting Sponsor = $1,000.00 to $4,999.99
Basic Sponsor = $500.00 to $999.99
Individual Contributor = $1 to $499.99
Educational Partner = Host a build event
Ambassador/Mentor = Facilitate learning club events
Why you should work with us
Teaching young people how to work with their hands and with tools will ensure the future of our skilled trades and bridge the skills gap.
TESTIMONIALS:
“The week of my build was 100 mph. My car was the first build for WFTF and I kept thinking how are we gonna do this in four days? They brought kids from every class and had almost a quarter of the school helping THE WHOLE TIME, having every single kid that wanted to do something on the car there. It was awesome…a group of guys and women with a passion for cars bringing young kids together and teaching us to build cool stuff with our hands. It was the best week I’d ever had.” – Dylan J.
“My experience with the guys from Wrenching for the Future had a huge impact on my life and
career. When Wrenching for the Future came to my school and built The Ratillac with us, they
taught me a lot about wrenching and welding. The experiences I had building that rat rod
solidified my love for the trades, and welding and wrenching in particular. Those are memories I
will remember forever.” – Caleb B.
