Duxbury, Vt. — At 8:00 on a chilly spring morning in this rural Vermont town, while most kids his age are filing into classrooms and preparing for a day of school, 17-year-old Silas Woods rolls up the sleeves of his plaid button-down shirt and hoists a tire up to a mini Cooper, suspended a few feet above ground in the corner of the noisy Duxbury Auto Shop.
Woods is calm and confident as he moves around the garage, which serves as an unconventional math and science classroom. Thanks to a work-based learning program offered through nearby Harwood Union High School, Woods has been able to earn math and science credit by working 15 hours a week at the garage, instead of sitting in a classroom. His boss has been so impressed by Woods’ work ethic and job performance; he offered Woods a full-time paid job at the garage this summer.
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