Chopper Class: FOX 9 Top Teacher getting national attention from motorcycle enthusiasts

LAKEVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Almost immediately after stepping into the wing of Lakeville North High school, it’s clear this is not your average shop class.

Working the budget

By the numbers:

"You’re looking at probably $30,000 in parts," says Kevin Baas. "The motor alone is $15,000."

Students from Lakeville North and South in this chopper class are building a motorcycle from scratch that will be auctioned off at Sturgis motorcycle rally this summer. At the same time, school district budgets are tighter than a lug nut.

Baas has figured out a way to use the roughly $8,000 budget allocated by his school district for his welding and various classes and turn it into hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of tools and materials for his students. From a water cutter that slices stone and granite, to woodworking equipment and six-figure pieces of donated equipment filling the space.

How is that possible?

What to know:

"BTD is a local company here in Lakeville, a big manufacturing company. I reached out to say, ‘I’m the new teacher here. I’m going to be teaching kids how to weld and manufacture. I need help.’ And they said, ’What do you need?' I said I need a big 4x8 CNC plasma [cutter]. The president, Paul, came over from BTD, he looked over the shop, shook my hand, said, ‘You pick one out and we’ll order it' and he bought it for us. So it was like my first month here as a new teacher and I already got that. So it was like, 'Okay, we're on to something. Let's keep the ball rolling.'

From there, Baas expanded with power coating equipment, 60 3D printers, and the list goes on and on and on.

"I found out back in the early days, like when the money runs out, you get so much money a year for your class to buy consumables, welders, fix things, do whatever. When that runs out, you're out. you're – 'Okay. Well, figure something out, without any money. You can't buy any more materials…' So I decided, okay, that's how much money I’m going to get. what can I do to make a little more to really make sure I got enough to sustain the whole year and do extra things instead of the bare minimum."

Celebrity Connections

Big picture view:

In the span of his life and career, Baas has handmade dozens of bikes. He’s constantly making connections and organizing sponsors for his program far and wide. These days, his Instagram has more than 20,000 followers and the program has supporters ranging from Richard Petty to Jason Momoa, better known as Aquaman.

The day we visited Baas in class, he was also conducting an interview for his partnership with a Dennis Kirk film crew. The company is one of the leaders in the bike parts world and based out of Rush City. Dennis Kirk is supplying the parts for the Chopper Class motorcycle project, checking the progress, and filming segments along the way leading up to auction day. This all serves a dual purpose, ensuring the bike is put together right.

"From my freshman year, I have looked in that motorcycle shop, and it's like, man, I wish they had that program. And senior year. It's like a dream come true, you know, back in back at it," says student Brogan Archdale.

Bass says the dream come true, is all his.

"It makes my soul sing," says Baas. "I can't put it into words, almost, without crying about how hard the battle has been, and now it's to a place where I’m on top of this little mountain looking down, going, ‘Awesome, look at what we’ve accomplished.'"

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