Miami Central High School technology teacher Frank Houghtaling thinks the connection between theory and application is one reason his students perform better on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). The impressive turnaround school drew local and national attention last spring when one of Houghtaling's students, Dagoberto Cruz, won first place in the nationwide "Mastercam Wildest Parts Competition" and when President Barack Obama visited Miami Central to kick off a national education initiative. This article describes how computer-aided design/computer-aided machining (CAD/CAM), creativity, and discipline lead to turnaround school success.