CBS News Features NBHS MET Academy and CCSU Students
in Go Baby Go! Project

(NEW BRITAIN, CT) – New Britain High School students in the Academy of Manufacturing, Engineering, & Technology recently finished their weeks-long work on a special project that will have life-changing effects for four New Britain Public School children with limited mobility.

The work is the result a cooperative learning project with CCSU students in the Technology & Engineering Education department called “Go Baby Go!” – an initiative that helps children with limited mobility functions gain mobility independence through modified ride-on cars. The cars, donated through a partnership between The New Britain Good Old Boys and Papa’s Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM, are retrofitted to function similarly to a motorized wheelchair. This is achieved through the collaborative efforts of Technology Education students in the MET Academy at NBHS, who work with and learn from the CCSU students from Central C.A.R.E.S. The students worked together to retrofit the car so that the child may use a button on the steering wheel to power it and drive it. A total of four cars will be retrofitted and donated to children between the ages of 3-8 in the KEY Program at Gaffney Elementary School.

On Wednesday, March 15, the NBHS and CCSU students finalized their weeks-long work on the adapted electric ride-on cars and presented them to the first two of four New Britain children who will use them to become more mobile. Mosiah Engram-Daniels, 8, and Kelicia Jones, 7, both were presented their new cars in front of their parents and the students and faculty from NBHS and CCSU who combined their efforts to make the cars functional. Central C.A.R.E.S. students use their technical skills to enhance the lives of people with special needs – in this instance by coming to NBHS and teaching the MET Academy students through this hands-on project.

“This is another wonderful example of our New Britain community coming together to both help our elementary school children and provide a meaningful and practical educational experience for our high school students,” said Superintendent Nancy Sarra. “We are so happy to have such impactful partnerships with our neighboring university, businesses, and charitable organizations that provide a hands-on education to our NBHS students for a great cause. I am thrilled this collaboration of community spirit and service learning in New Britain will help some of our children gain mobility independence and was featured to such a large audience.”

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