Nov. 18 –Some Indiana high-school students had an opportunity to be part of to what is probably one of the most exciting events for automotive manufacturers: the lineoff event.

The 12 high-school students from Greensburg City Schools and the Minority Engineering Program of Indianapolis witnessed  the first U.S.-made Honda Civic drive off the manufacturing line floor at Honda Manufacturing of Indiana (HMIN).

They also toured the manufacturing facility with young minority engineers, who answered questions about going to school, getting a job and potential career paths at Honda.

The field trip was an effort to encourage the students to continue their Science, Technology, Math and Education (STEM) studies and to get them excited about manufacturing career opportunities.

The students submitted feedback about the experience, which included their favorite parts of the experience at HMIN. The answers ranged from “being on camera” during the lineoff to “seeing how energy-efficient the plant is” to seeing how Honda “incorporated Japanese writing on signs throughout the plant.”

What really made an impression on the kids? Team Honda. Nearly all of the students remarked on the level of teamwork required to assemble a car from scratch.