Sabrina Gordon pursues mechanic careeer despite sterotypes

Sabrina+Gordon+pursues+mechanic+careeer+despite+sterotypes
Sabrina Gordan works on an engine during Auto Mechanic class.  She is one of the few girls who enjoys working on cars. (Jazmine Washington photo)
Sabrina Gordon works on an engine during Auto Mechanic class. She is one of the few girls who enjoys working on cars. (Jazmine Washington photo)

She walks to class anticipating the satisfaction of finding out the puzzle and then putting it together again with her own hands. The familiar smell of the shop greets her as she walks into the garage and she prepares to do what she knows best, fixing cars.

When Senior Sabrina Gordon first walked into the Auto Tech class her sophomore year, she didn’t know a thing about repairing cars. As the years went by, she learned whatever was thrown her way and eventually was offered a job at an auto shop.

“When Sabrina joined the class, I didn’t expect anything from her,” Auto Tech teacher Mr. Tim Odom said, “It was almost as if she didn’t belong in the class.”

From that first day in the shop to now, opinions about Gordan have changed. Senior Hector Garcia admits he didn’t expect great things from her in the beginning but has a different opinion now.

“I quickly figured out she was a hard worker because she’d always be out in the shop doing something,” Garcia said.

Gordon has been working in the auto tech classroom for only three years. Those who work around her say she is destined for greatness.

“If she continues to work hard the way she does now, she will have a lot of things in her future.” senior Leonel Soriano said.

Despite having to possibly face the obstacles that many females in this career encounter Gordon pursues it without a second doubt.

“Some people say it will be harder for women to work in this type of industry because they have to work four times as hard to get half the credit, but she’ll work it.” Garcia said.

Gordon herself doesn’t care much about what people think of her and continues to do what she wants.

“I’m just hanging out and doing what I do,” Gordon said “I don’t really care, I just want to do fun stuff like work on cars.”

Gordon has created a reputation of a hard worker among her colleagues and convinced most of her future success.

“She’s just a really cool person, with a lot of enthusiasm,” Odom said. “You can tell she is going to be successful by the way that she works in the shop and does her job.”

Odom says Gordon is a strong student and works to achieve her goals no matter what comes her way.

“She’s somebody who would never let the world get in the way of her doing whatever she chooses to do,” Odom said.