Supporting the Next Generation of Car People: Our Afterschool Program with El Cerrito High School

At Argonaut Garage, we believe hands-on learning and community involvement go hand in hand. That belief is behind an afterschool program we’re running with students from the El Cerrito High School Car Club, giving them access to real tools, real mentorship, and a working automotive shop environment.

The program focuses on practical automotive skills—shop safety, proper tool use, inspections, maintenance, and troubleshooting—while also teaching students how a professional shop operates. Just as important are the habits they build along the way: working methodically, communicating clearly, and taking responsibility for their work.

The end goal of the program is to build a race-ready car and campaign it in the March 24 Hours of Lemons race at Sonoma Raceway.
The 24 Hours of Lemons is an endurance racing series built around low-budget cars, creativity, teamwork, and finishing the race rather than outright speed.

Having a real event on the calendar gives the students a clear objective. Every repair, decision, and upgrade matters, and the project connects individual lessons into a shared team effort.

Students work alongside experienced instructors in an environment that emphasizes learning and safety over shortcuts. Mistakes are expected and used as teaching moments, helping students understand not just how to fix something, but why it failed in the first place.

Supporting the El Cerrito High School Car Club is part of a broader commitment Argonaut Garage has to the local community. Over the years, we’ve also supported El Cerrito High School Girls Lacrosse, the ECHS Mountain Bike Team, and Girls Garage, organizations that share a focus on mentorship, confidence-building, and hands-on learning.

As a local independent shop, we’re proud to support programs that give young people opportunities to learn skills, explore interests, and work toward something tangible. This afterschool program is one of the ways we try to give back to the community that supports us.

We’re excited to see what these students build—and where the experience takes them next.