Zach Petrie, DA Class of 2019: Soon-to-Be College Graduate

Zach Petrie began his DA journey in 2014 as a middle schooler and graduated from DA in 2019. He is currently a senior at McPherson College in Kansas majoring in Automotive Restoration, the only program of its kind in the United States. He will graduate with his bachelor’s degree on May 20, 2023.

I was accepted to McPherson College on the first day of my senior year of high school and planned on attending there after graduation. I followed through and started at McPherson College that fall studying Automotive Restoration.

I learned to advocate for myself when I need help and get accommodations in my classes. I learned that I love small class sizes and being able to connect with my teachers and other students, closer than at a large state school or university. Finally, I learned how to prepare for life and how to get my work in order so nothing blindsides me in the world. Dr. Corbin and Mrs. Eskesen did an amazing job setting us up to be ready for the unexpected and how to move on with our lives and progress to success.

Mr. Price was one of the hardest teachers I had for sure, but I think I learned the most from him because he was always willing to help with every problem. He encouraged us to seek help if we were confused so we could understand every aspect. Mr. Miller made learning fun, especially history, where I always struggled before. Mr. Lindburg challenged me to be the best student and the best person I could be by helping me not only with my algebra but also with life questions.

I am going to Missouri for a job interview to hopefully go work for a company called Passport Transport. I would be a transport coordinator, which is helping arrange vehicles to get picked up and dropped off in certain locations. I also will hopefully be traveling to concours events and car shows to promote the business.

My best advice is to listen to your teachers and don’t take their advice for granted. I thought a lot of the information was busy work and useless, but it all comes full circle to be very useful. Stuff like dorm cooking wars and filling out the Common Application seemed very useless but the writing skills came in handy and learning to cook with only a microwave were incredibly important skills! Keep your head up and never give up on following your dreams. College is not for everyone, but if you do decide to go to college, you should only go if you feel it fits you.

Congratulations, Zach!

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