By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Not all of Santa’s helpers wear green hats or have pointed ears, sometimes they look more like aspiring mechanics.

This is the case for two special gifts created by students in the Collision Repair program at LeCroy Career Technical Center.

The students assembled two pedal cars to be given to children that may not get a lot for Christmas.

Instructor Jason Duren chose the project as this year’s community service opportunity.

“I was looking for something that they could do that would relate to our program, so I found these kit cars,” Duren said. “Then, we had a meeting, and we voted on it, and they all agreed that they wanted to do this.”

Duren said the pedal car kits were a good project for the students because it incorporated all of the skills the students had been learning.

Duren talked to counselors at other Chilton County Schools to find students who would be good recipients for the cars.

Both Duren’s morning and afternoon classes completed a car.

Kade Pairrett of Isabella High School, who attends the morning class, said the students mixed colors until they found the shade of purple they liked. A clear coat on top gives the car a sparkly, metallic look.

Students worked in pairs on different sections of the project. Levi Pickering of IHS said he worked on the wheels as well as sanding and painting the vehicle. Class President Jordan Campbell said taping the different areas before painting was the most difficult part.

“It was really cool, and it’s going to a good place,” José Campos of Jemison High School said.

Campos, who attends the afternoon class, said he worked on the decals and lights on the car.

Several students in the afternoon class said the paint and body work were the most challenging aspects of the project. Christopher Williams Jr. of Verbena High School said painting the wheels was especially challenging because them painter’s tap e on the outer portion of the wheel sometimes peeled the paint of with it.

Williams said getting a perfect circle was also tricky.

Even though it was challenging, Williams said painting the car was his favorite part of the project.

The afternoon class added exhaust pipes to the front side of the car as a way to customize the model.

Kevin Comi of JHS said it made him feel good to work on something that would be given to someone else.

The cars were given to the recipients’ parents to present to them on Christmas Day.