O’NEALS – Chrome gleams with a blinding light and engines rev ferociously as the 1st Annual Minarets Car Show cruises onto the Minarets High School campus Sunday, Oct. 6. The sporty spectacle takes place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and benefits students planning an educational spring trip to Europe.Free to the public, the 1st Annual Minarets Car Show is a family-friendly event. Registration to participate in the show requires a minimum donation of $10 per automobile or motorcycle.
Eligible vendors can still register to represent their wares on-site for a fee of $20. A flyer for the event notes, “mounted canopies are permitted,” while alcohol is not.
Daniel Ching is a history teacher helping to promote the high-octane day, which is set to include a raffle, live entertainment, vendor booths with food and drink, and visiting auto parts suppliers.
“The car show is going to be a great opportunity, not only for the students traveling, but for the community,” says Ching.
Ching, with wife Ceaenna and three additional adult chaperones, will escort 24 students on a European tour in 2013. Ching grew up in North Fork and says the opportunity to teach in his own neighborhood at a project-based school was a strong draw.
“I believed I could take history to the next level at Minarets High School,” Ching says. “I could teach history and make it real and relevant to the students by doing hands-on projects. This trip idea came out of that kind of thinking.”
An avid traveler himself, Ching believes in the benefits of exploring other lands and meeting new people.
“This trip will involve history such as the Holocaust, World War II, the Cold War, and medieval Europe. We will be traveling through Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, and Hungary. This will give students a perspective they will never forget.”
Most of the students going to Europe are first-time international travelers, and many will be leaving California for the first time, Ching reports. The car show will be students’ last big push toward their fundraising goal, according to Ching.
“Some kids worked all summer and saved to help pay, while others are continuing to work on the weekends,” Ching says.
The history teacher turned tour guide is passionate about the hands-on learning opportunities travel affords and plans to continue taking students abroad.
“As the world becomes more globalized, it is so important for our young people to understand other cultures so they are more well-rounded and prepared for their future. We are offering kids real and relevant opportunities to learn. I just feel lucky to work at a place like this as well as having an opportunity to serve a community that has given so much to me.”
For more car show information visit their Facebook page 1st Annual Minarets Car Show.
Minarets High School is located at 45077 Road 200, O’Neals, Ca.
