We’re here to support all students, but we know that student-parents can experience stressful challenges.
To keep his little boy safe and sound, Fernando Dominguez drove nearly 1,300 miles in the dead of night.
Dominguez, a student in Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Truck Driving program, motored from San Antonio to Wisconsin to get a free car seat courtesy of the college and the Milwaukee Police Department.
“I’m doing this for him,” said Dominguez, as he held his 1 ½-year-old son, Ezra. “We love him and we want to keep him in one piece.”
Dominguez was one of nine MATC students who received a free car seat Wednesday, November 5. The student fathers learned how to properly install, adjust and remove it from their vehicles.
See coverage TV coverage of the event:
Most of the students are enrolled in MATC’s Transportation Serving programs. The event was sponsored by MATC Drive, a unique, public-private partnership that enhances the educational experience through specialized support, resources and community events.
“We’re here to support all students, but we know that student-parents can experience stressful challenges,” said Dr. Reggie Park, a retention coach with MATC Drive. “This event helps parents get their children from one place to another safely and hopefully without a lot of added stress.”
Properly installed and utilized car seats can reduce the risk of fatal injuries by more than 70% for infants and 50% for toddlers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
A car seat costs an average of about $85, Milwaukee Police Officer Tonya Rosales said at the event, which was held at the Al Hurvis/PEAK Transportation Center at MATC’s Downtown Milwaukee Campus.
“The cost of a funeral for a child is between $3,000 and $12,000,” Rosales said. “Don’t sell your kids short. Protect them and love them. It takes just one click to protect them. Buckle them up and it will help save their lives.”
Rosales gave each student a Safety 1st Grow and Go All-in-One Convertible car seat and helped them install it into their cars.
She also told students to keep their children in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible and make sure their children are secured snugly in the car seat. She cautioned them to never use a used car seat, and never leave a car unattended while children are inside.
“I’m a mom, so I love all of your babies,” Rosales said. “I want you to see them grow up. Maybe one day one of them will come up with the cure for cancer. Don’t take that chance away from them.”
The students at the event were grateful for the college’s support.
“We live in a pretty busy city and people can drive a little erratically at times,” said Zack Hanson, a Human Service Associate student who has two children. “You need to make sure your kids are safe. It starts with the car seat.”
“Things like this really help out,” said Anthony Washington, an Automotive Maintenance Technician student who has four children. “I have instructors who really understand the dilemmas that I might have. You need those kinds of things in your corner to succeed.”
Learn about MATC’s Transportation Servicing programs
About MATC: Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. More than 30,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 180 academic programs — many that prepare students for jobs immediately upon completion and others that provide transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 40 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.