For the second year, the Washington County Career Center’s Auto Collision program was recently awarded with the Ultimate Auto Collision Grant through the Collision Repair Education Foundation. The goal of the “Ultimate Collision Education Makeover” grant is to honor schools that have been doing an outstanding job in educating students in collision repair, but are in need of some financial assistance to improve their program teaching materials and equipment. With strained school budgets, this is a wonderful opportunity to bridge the program financial gap and to make a difference in the lives of the students studying collision repair.
The Career Center applied for the grant with the possibility of a $50,000 award. The end result was the grant being split up amongst multiple educational facilities with the Career Center receiving $1,000 to purchase needed tools for the Auto Collision program. The tools purchased were: LED Work Light, IRWIN tap & die set, slip joint pliers, putty knives, brass hammer, wire wheel, Hanson bolt extractor set, digital tire gauge, caulking guns, Milwaukee 21-piece drill & driver set, Milwaukee 14-piece drill bit set, Razor Blade scraper set, Mityvac cooling system air evacuation kit, digital 1/2- and 3/8-inch drive torque wrench, Lisle wire terminal tool kit, door pin puller, door trim pad tool, windshield wiper arm remover, wide trim tool, battery terminal cleaner, 285-piece electrical repair kit, and leather welding gloves. The Auto Collision program also receives free items throughout the school year for participating in the grant such as work shirts for the students, sand paper, and sealant.
STANDING (L-R): Mr. Mike Elliott, High School Director; Mr. Joe Crone, Treasurer; Auto Collision students: Austin, Wyatt, Garrett, Zane, Evan, Tristan, Noah, and Matthew; Dr. Dennis Blatt, Superintendent; and Mr. Gary Ruble, Auto Collision Instructor
SITTING (L-R): Auto Collision students: Sable, Kelly, Leanna, Evonne, Hailee, and Kaylee