rj | field file
NHRA Partnership Revs Up Students’ Thoughts About Education, the Future Story and photo by John Thompson Houston Battalion
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professional race car driver, the owner/operator of a car racing complex and an experienced Soldier explained to high school students the impact education — or the lack of it — has on their plans for the future. Tony Schumacher, Seth Angel and Staff Sgt. Tam Pham addressed 1,500 students as part of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and the U.S. Army’s Youth and Education Services (Y.E.S.) program. The Y.E.S. program touts the benefits of completing high school, the value of continuing to learn after high school, the value of exploring career options and setting goals to achieve success. “I never want to put myself in a position where what I do for a living is too easy,” Pham said. “I want to see how hard a task can be. I love the challenge of what I do and the travel. “My first duty station was in Germany. At 18, I got to train with German forces and later got to train in different countries with English, French and Romanian forces. What excites me is learning different cultures while at the same time pushing yourself to new heights in your career. You should always be setting higher limits for yourself.” Pham, an infantry Soldier serving as an Army recruiter in Lake Jackson, Texas, is working on a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. His enrollment in college indicates a desire for self improvement and shows others education goals can be achieved while being a Soldier. Pham earned the Combat Infantry Badge while in Afghanistan and was presented the Purple Heart for wounds received when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb. Schumacher exudes an intensity of a competitor who is on top of his game. Nicknamed “The Sarge” for driving the Army’s top fuel dragster, his stint racing under NHRA rules has netted him seven world titles, with 69 career wins in the top fuel dragster racing category. Schumacher
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considers his victories the result of teamwork. Technically skilled and motivated individuals work on his car, coordinate logistical needs for daily operations and handle the marketing of his career. Schumacher explained to students where you end up in life is influenced by who you “hang” with. “You are as good as the people around you,” Schumacher said. “If you are around five of your buddies and they are all smart, seeking a good education and have goals, you are going to go in the right direction. If you are around a bunch of knuckleheads, you will not go in the right direction.” Schumacher went on to ask those gathered if they would be willing to trust their lives to their best five Staff Sgt. Tam Pham talks candidly to a group friends. He questioned if they of 300 high schools students from the Houston could count on those friends to be area about his desire to improve his life through responsible enough to ensure the taking college courses and how he always seeks proper functioning of a race car that opportunities to challenge himself in his career. could go 300 mph. “Would you be willing to drive mirror and say, ‘How am I going to make it,” he asked. Very few hands were a positive change and how can I move in raised. Schumacher said that like in the that direction.’” Army, you surround yourself with men Angel says similar to the many and women with the right stuff. Most different jobs found in the Army, the recruiters in the room know that when raceway requires people for technical they leave recruiting, they will be serving jobs, book keeping and accounting, sales, with those they helped enlist. marketing and public relations, culinary “That is why they and the Army are so arts and computer programming. Many particular,” Schumacher said. jobs require technical school, college or When it comes to using education to specialized training. Angel emphasized spring into a better future, Angel, viceyou can’t work for him, the Army or many president and general manager of Royal other businesses if you don’t stay in school. Purple Raceway in Baytown, relies on his “Those are the type of people I master’s degree earned at the University of surround myself with each day,” Angel Texas. What he looks for when someone explained. “That is the only way we can applies for job at the raceway is similar to put on great events and entertain our fans what it takes to be on Schumacher’s race and provide a safe race track for Tony to team or to be a Soldier: “You have to be go down at over 300 miles per hour.” the best. You have to want to succeed.” After one presentation, a faculty “We employ hundreds of people member from an area school approached throughout the year,” Angel said. “It takes Pham to talk with him about making a lot to make this place work. When we a visit to his school to talk about career put people in place, we want to make sure planning with students not able to attend we have the best people. the Y.E.S. program. “You have to be able to look in the