The Collision Repair Education Foundation, with the help of GEICO, ABRA Auto Body & Glass and Craftsman, recently awarded spring tool grants and scholarships to dozens of collision repair students throughout the United States.
GEICO
The Collision Repair Education Foundation and GEICO Philanthropic Foundation announced the winners of the GEICO Spring Scholarship and Tool Grant. The GEICO Scholarship and Tool Grant Program provide each selected student with $1,000 in a scholarship and $500 in tools. The winning students are:
Nicholas Bigelow (Wayne Finger Lakes BOCES – Williamson, N.Y.)
Kurt Bundscho (Sarasota County Technical Institute – Sarasota, Fla.)
Zachary Holler (Eastern Center for Arts and Technology – Willow Grove, Pa.)
Simon Rowe (Cuesta Community College – San Luis Obispo, Calif.)
“GEICO’s scholarship and tool grant not only assist students with their educational expenses but also helps to place current tools and technology into their hands to better their career,” said Scott Kruger, Collision Repair Education Foundation executive director. “GEICO has stepped up and made a direct investment into the students who will be our future collision repair technicians. On behalf of these four students, thank you to Mr. Lyons and everyone at GEICO for their continued donations and support.”
“We are honored to support such a worthy cause,” said Don Lyons, senior vice president of GEICO. “We know how important it is to develop the appropriate skills and to receive a technical degree in auto body repair. The students at these schools show great potential and we’re happy to support them.”
ABRA Auto Body & Glass
ABRA Auto Body & Glass awarded 16 collision students each with $1,000 in tools through a spring tool grant opportunity with the Collision Repair Education Foundation. The tool grant was made available to select high school seniors or post-secondary student within collision repair programs that plan on graduating school in 2011 and entering the workforce immediately following graduation. The winning students were able to select $1,000 (retail value) in tools and equipment from the NATEF tool list.
The student winners of the 2011 ABRA Auto Body & Glass spring tool grant include:
Manuel Aguilar (UTI – Sacramento, Calif.)
Justen Anderson (Hennepin Technical College – Brooklyn Park, Minn.)
Tyler Brick (Aims Automotive & Technology Center – Windsor, Colo.)
Nathaniel Brown (UTI – Houston, Texas)
Ryan Carroll (Salt Lake Community College – Sandy, Utah)
Rebekkah Doyle (Nashville Auto Diesel College – Nashville, Tenn.)
William Everhart (Nashville Auto Diesel College – Nashville, Tenn.)
Y Lee (Dunwoody College of Tech – Minneapolis, Minn.)
Alfredo Mendez (UTI – Houston, Texas)
Kade Oeltjenbruns (Dunwoody College of Tech – Minneapolis, Minn.)
Emily Ann Severson (Wyo Tech – Laramie, Wyo.)
Brittney Sieger (Wyo Tech – Sacramento, Calif.)
Terrance Scott Simpson (Nashville Auto Diesel College – Nashville, Tenn.)
Thong Thao (Fox Valley Technical College – Appleton, Wis.)
Joshua A. Van Dinter (Madison Area Technical College – Madison, Wis.)
Steve Watt (Wyo Tech – Laramie, Wyo.)
“ABRA Auto Body & Glass is happy to support the Collision Repair Education Foundation and these fine students; it’s our goal to continue to support and encourage students entering our industry,” said Executive Vice President Tim Adelmann.
Kruger commented, “Through ABRA’s tool grant, these 16 students, and soon-to-be members of the collision industry, will be better equipped to repair consumer’s collision damaged vehicles properly. Industry supporters like ABRA Auto Body & Glass are helping to display to secondary and post-secondary students that the industry believes in their future and is willing to step up to support their education. I would like to thank ABRA Auto Body & Glass for their continued support and making this tool grant available.”
Craftsman
For the 2nd consecutive year, Craftsman has supported secondary and post-secondary auto body students by providing a student tool grant scholarship through the Collision Repair Education Foundation. Seventeen students were selected from nearly 300 applications, and each wining student will receive a 268 pc. Mechanic Tool Set with Lift-Top Lid Case plus Microtork Torque Wrench and 10-Drawer Ball-Bearing Tool Chest.
The student winners of the 2011 spring Craftsman tool grant include:
Claudia Linda Carr (Texas State Technical College – Harlingen, Texas)
Candice Mae Churchill (Walla Walla Community College – Walla Walla, Wash.)
Justin Furman (Tuscola Technology Center – Caro, Mich.)
Blake Grover (College of Western Idaho – Boise, Idaho)
Jeff Hines (Cypress College – Cypress, Calif.)
Nina Hunter (Weber State University – Ogden, Utah)
Justin Jaszewski (Wyo Tech – Laramie, Wyo.)
Matthew Jozwiak (Tuscola Technology Center – Caro, Mich.)
Melissa Mayberry (Guilford Technical Community College – Jamestown, N.C.)
Joshua Ortiz (Cypress College – Cypress, Calif.)
Ulises Pina (Dennis Technical Education Center – Boise, Idaho)
Brianda Flores Ruiz (Southeast Career Technical Academy – Las Vegas, Nev.)
Christina Sepulveda (Middleburg High School – Middleburg, Fla.)
Franky Skiles (Area 30 Career Center – Greencastle, Ind.)
Matthew Dylan Smith (Lecroy Career Technical Center – Clanton, Ala.)
Patrick Nolan Smith (Lecroy Career Technical Center – Clanton, Ala.)
David Stotts (Portland Community College – Portland, Ore.)
“We are thrilled to partner with Collision Repair Education Foundation to arm these students with Craftsman tools, and in turn help them on their journey to becoming professionals in their trade,” said Kris Malkoski, VP/GM Craftsman Brand. “Craftsman is America’s most trusted tool brand, and these tools can be used for years to come. No matter what path the students choose, they will have the tools necessary to tackle any project.”
Kruger commented, “Craftsman has helped fuel the future of the collision industry through their annual spring student tool grants and as a long-time sponsor our student technician shirts fundraiser. They were also the exclusive sponsor of our recent spring mailing that reached 10,000 body shops across the country. Through these Craftsman tool grants, students are provided the equipment necessary to further their careers. The Foundation would like to congratulate the winning students and on behalf of the staff and Board of Trustees, thank you to Craftsman for helping develop the industry’s future workforce!”
More information:
Collision Repair Education Foundation
