Atlas Gear Celebrates the Next Generation of Skilled Tradespeople

When Mr. Zimmerman, a teacher at Lenape Technical School in Ford City, Pennsylvania, finished his lesson on gear ratios, he was amazed by his class and couldn’t wait to share their accomplishments. Twenty-five 12th-grade students took on the complex challenge of designing and building a 9-gear assembly with a 480:1 ratio. Working in teams, the seniors calculated pitch diameters, sized each gear, cut them to fit, and assembled functional clusters with spinning axles. It was hands-on learning at its best with math, mechanics, and critical thinking all coming together in one impressive build.

Impressed by their grit and initiative, Mr. Zimmerman reached out to Atlas Gear Company to share what his students had achieved and ask if we could provide a few gear samples to help bring their project full circle.

We didn’t hesitate to step in.

A few weeks later, his classroom received a care package from our Detroit shop, complete with sample gears cut to spec for real-world industrial applications, company pens, and a fresh batch of Atlas Gear Company hats. It was our way of recognizing the students’ hard work and giving them a tangible glimpse into the world of modern manufacturing.

“The students were super excited, and it made them feel like a million bucks,” Zimmerman wrote. “They could not believe the lengths you went to show your support of technical students entering the trades."

At Atlas Gear Company, we know the future of trades is built one lesson, one project, and one student at a time. That’s why this opportunity mattered to us. When young people get the chance to work with real tools and real materials, they start to see what they’re capable of. With the right support, every student has a chance to succeed, and we’re proud to play even a small part in that.