Washburn High grad shines in the classroom and the auto bay
Sophie Nystrom had a more straightforward journey to Dunwoody than some students who enroll: she was working at Walser Buick GMC and decided to take the same route as some of her co-workers and apply to the Automotive program.
The small class sizes, great lab spaces, and hands-on approach to education seemed like a perfect fit to her.
“I knew I wanted to do something hands-on because I always felt bored being on a computer or doing desk work and knew I’d be more satisfied getting to work on different things every day,” she said.
She was right about that, and thrived so well at Dunwoody she became the Academic Excellence Award recipient for Automotive.
“Sophie emerged as an academic leader in her class who readily accepts challenges without hesitation,” said Bob Larkin, Director of Automotive.
Nystrom said the award “will be a great reminder that I was able to try my best and do well even when things were hard.”
She also credits Dunwoody’s faculty for helping her along the way, especially Associate Professor Steve Reinarts.
“He was a phenomenal teacher,” Nystrom said. “And even though I no longer have his class, I know I can still go to him for help or just go talk to him. He was one of the reasons I began to believe in my abilities and even started taking the ASE tests. All of the teachers I’ve had during my time here have been big inspirations to me due to their knowledge and experience in the field as well as their eagerness to teach us.”
The ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) tests focus on individual aspects of automotive repair and culminate with being certified as a Master Automobile Technician.
Nystrom passed the Electrical, Steering and Suspension, and Brakes tests concurrent with her schoolwork at Dunwoody and hopes to pass a fourth very soon so she can move up into a journeyperson technician position.
But it’s not just the technical training that’s been important to her.
“Some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned at Dunwoody have been that nobody is going to judge you for making mistakes while you are learning because everyone else has made those same mistakes,” she said. “I’ve also learned a lot about trying and not giving up, but also the importance of being able to take a step back and taking a break to get a clear head if things become challenging.”
Lessons that will serve her well, no doubt, once she graduates as she continues her work at Walser Buick GMC and focuses on passing more ASE certifications.
“I hope to continue to gain knowledge and keep moving up in my career to be the best technician I can be,” she said. “I am looking forward to being able to work on bigger and more challenging things as I progress.”
In her free time, Nystrom can usually be found working on her personal vehicles or spending time with family. She reports that she is currently rebuilding the engine on a 1985 Toyota pickup.
“It was running and driving when I pulled the engine out, but it had a blown head gasket and was burning a lot of oil,” she said. “I have two other trucks — a 1987 Ford F250 and a 1995 Toyota 4Runner. I just try and keep them running and do more when I can.”
Given her track record at Dunwoody, there’s no doubt she will do just that.