At Houston High School, innovation doesn’t just live in textbooks—it thrives in the hands of our students under the expert guidance of teachers like Bill Houston, who leads our dual enrollment mechatronics program. His classroom is more than just a lab—it’s a hub of creativity, problem-solving, and a surprising collection of…microwaves.
Yes, microwaves. By chance, I stumbled upon this fascinating detail while searching for a motor for our holiday float. Bill quickly pointed me to a stack of discarded microwaves. Why does he have a pile of microwaves in his lab? "The kids take them apart and put the pieces back together again—it’s a great way to show them how things work," he explained with a smile. For his beginner mechatronics students, this exercise is a hands-on introduction to the fundamentals of engineering and electronics, offering them a chance to tinker, explore, and ignite their curiosity.
But there’s more to Bill than a knack for creative teaching methods. Before joining GMSD, he had a distinguished career in manufacturing and engineering. As he guided me through his lab, Bill shared a story that perfectly illustrates the intersection of ingenuity and practical problem-solving—an intersection where he has spent much of his career.
While working for a Japanese manufacturing company, Bill and his team encountered a major challenge: microwave doors. Parts were manufactured in one location, then shipped around the world for assembly. The problem? Getting the hinges to align perfectly during assembly was proving difficult for workers in multiple countries.
Enter Bill Houston. His team proposed a revolutionary solution: integrate the hinges directly into the interior metal frame of the microwave. The idea was so effective that it not only solved the company’s issue but became an industry standard. Today, when you open your microwave and see those interior metal hinges, you can thank Bill Houston for the design innovation.
Now, Bill brings that same brilliance and passion to the mechatronics classroom at Houston High School. Mechatronics—a fusion of mechanical engineering and electronics—prepares students for high-demand careers in manufacturing, robotics, and beyond. Bill’s four-year program challenges students to solve real-world problems, learn cutting-edge skills, and imagine the next wave of innovation.
“Engineering is about solving problems,” Bill explained. “Sometimes it’s small fixes that make a big impact—like microwave hinges. Other times, it’s creating something entirely new. But it always starts with curiosity.”
And it’s that curiosity that Bill Houston inspires in his students every day. So next time you use your microwave or wonder how everyday objects come to life, think of Bill Houston—and maybe even consider joining his mechatronics program at HHS to learn from a master of manufacturing and engineering.