Pico Rivera, like many small communities surrounding Los Angeles, went from a sleepy agricultural nexus to a booming suburb following the end of World War II. Lured by a mild, pleasant climate, lucrative property pricing, and the promise of employment, Pico Rivera rapidly expanded in the post-war years. Seizing on the moment, the Ford Motor Company established the Los Angeles Assembly plant in Pico Rivera in 1958, which ran for several decades before being bought and converted, first as a manufacturing facility for the B-2 Spirit bomber, then a retail center in 2001.
Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company and a pioneer in the invention of the automobile, had a vision for the United States and the way it would interact with his products. Ford believed in the American virtue of innovation and tenacity—he also believed cars should be available, affordable, and advantageous to everyone at the turn of the twentieth century. Industrialization had already come to America, and its citizens had seen a boon to commercial ventures as a result, particularly with mass production. Ford seized upon this practice and applied it to the car: factories and assembly lines would be key players in ensuring cars were not luxury items, but could be available to all to get from point a to point b.
The car, arguably, meant a rapid increase in population and civic growth throughout California. Ford Motor Company recognized this after the close of World War II, and provided a commodity that was desired by families flooding the suburbs. Pico Rivera’s assembly plant not only ensured automobile production stayed local and relatively cheap, it also ensured wages and jobs to willing workers seeking their fortunes in the Golden State. For decades, the plant churned out vehicle after vehicle, and eventually Ford was a household name—indeed, it still is, even with a global market flooded with competitors. Ford is respected, reliable, and associated with the can-do spirit of American pride in everything from their economy cars to sports cars to SUVs and trucks.
While Grade Potential tutors in Pico Rivera may not view their clients as assembly line products, they do bring with them the same hard-working ethos that Ford instilled in the city’s residents years ago. Every struggling student is unique, worthy of careful attention and time to be certain, but tutors also know how to work efficiently with everyone they help. Academic success is the end goal, and tutors are trained to meet individual needs in order to procure it.