Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Community Foundation of Warren County Executive Director John Lasher (left) presents a check for $7,500 to Warren County Career Center Power Equipment Teacher Michael Smith on Wednesday. The dollars, combined with Warren County School District funds, provide the match for a grant that will fund a dynamometer.

The Community Foundation of Warren County has put up the money to help some Warren County Career Center students evaluate motor vehicles.

Executive Director John Lasher presented a check for $7,500 to Power Equipment Teacher Michael Smith on Wednesday.

That amount finishes off the match required for a Pennsylvania Department of Education competitive grant.

Coordinator of Grants and Foundation Development Matt Jones said the district was initially going to cover the match amount.

There have been a lot of demands on district funds. “We thought it would be better if we went out to find if we had any partners in the community” that would be interested in contributing. “The Community Foundation stepped forward, which is huge.”

The power equipment shop has a dynamometer for automobiles.

The new one will handle wheeled vehicles smaller than that.

When an ATV or dirt bike comes in with a problem, students need to be able to diagnose that problem. Without a dynamometer, the easy way to hear the odd noise the dirt bike makes in third gear is to go for a ride on the dirt bike and get it to third gear. That is not an acceptable situation for the career center nor the district, according to Principal Jim Evers.

The dynamometer “allows students to test their equipment while it’s under load,” Evers said.