Highlands P-TECH students gain engineering experience in England
Photo courtesy of San Antonio Independent School District
Fourteen Highlands High School students in the engineering Pathways in Technical Early College High School (P-TECH) program traveled to England for hands-on learning with peers at the JCB Academy and behind-the-scenes visits to British landmarks and businesses.
The students’ connection with the JCB Academy began in February 2026, when a team from the British school joined Highlands students for an engineering challenge tied to the opening of JCB’s local factory. Working in integrated teams, they designed remote-controlled pneumatic diggers intended to help clean trash from the San Antonio River.
After the challenge, the Highlands students asked organizers City Education Partners and the 80/20 Foundation about visiting their new friends in Staffordshire. To help fund the trip, students created resumes, pitched potential sponsors and volunteered with Students of Service, a local nonprofit that combines community service with international experiences. They boarded a plane for the United Kingdom on Aug. 23.
At the JCB Academy, students participated in workshops focused on hydraulics, pneumatics and automation. They then toured JCB World Headquarters, following the manufacturing process from sheet steel delivery and laser cutting through welding, painting, assembly and the finished product.
The group also visited the Black Country Living Museum and spent time in London. A behind-the-scenes tour of the London Eye gave students a close look at the hydraulic system that powers the observation wheel, which has 32 pods and rises 135 meters above the River Thames.
The London itinerary also included Elizabeth Tower, the Tower of London, the Queen’s Castle, Big Ben, Shakespeare’s Globe, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Piccadilly Circus.
The students attend high school classes at Highlands and college courses at St. Philip’s College. Senior Max Seoane said the trip helped the group see a wider range of possibilities, while senior Antonio Zavala described the experience as a major opportunity connected to his four years in the P-TECH program.