The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), SkillsUSA and SEMA have awarded an expenses-paid trip for two to the SEMA Show to automotive instructor Sandy Martin of Starmount High School in Boonville, N.C.
The "Mega-Prize" was awarded for the third consecutive year at the 100% Advisor Reception this past June. The prize package donated by SCRS and SEMA included two Visa gift cards for airline expenses, two hotel rooms, two passes for the 2014 SEMA Show and two full-series passes to the SCRS Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series.
Martin had joked only
minutes before the winning announcement that his friends could give up
because he would be the lucky recipient.
"I’ve never won anything
before," said Martin. "I was just kidding around, and then it became
real! I’ve read all about the work SCRS is doing at SEMA, and I’ve seen
the show on TV and in all sorts of magazines. I’ve always wanted to go,
but never thought that I would have the opportunity to attend it. This
is such a great opportunity to take in and be able to bring back to my
kids this year. I’m speechless with gratitude. SkillsUSA is such a
rewarding program to even be able to participate in, and then to walk
away with more opportunities like this is just indescribable."
In addition to the Mega-Prize, all student competitors and sponsoring schools will be receiving a complimentary one-year membership to SCRS so that they can remain connected to the ongoing activities within the industry.
"SkillsUSA is so very appreciative of the support of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists in awarding this outstanding opportunity to one of our collision repair technology instructors," said SkillsUSA Executive Director Tim Lawrence. "Because of SCRS, this teacher will gain knowledge and updates directly from the industry that would be challenging to attain at the local school level. Updating our instructors is of paramount importance to SkillsUSA as we depend heavily on our industry partners to guide instruction, use of technology and the latest techniques used in the field for our school training programs. Industry partnerships are truly the lifeblood of SkillsUSA and how we keep our programs, competitions, classrooms and labs in line with real-world needs, and SCRS stands tall in making this process a reality."
Added Peter MacGillivray, vice president, Events and Communications for SEMA, "It’s an honor to know through our prize package with SCRS that we can help expose these advisors and subsequently their students to the latest and greatest the automotive and collision repair industries have to offer. There is an amazing world of opportunities in this industry, and the more we can do to help advisors see them first-hand, the better equipped they are to develop students’ interest in the automotive field."
"Being involved to support the SkillsUSA program and feeling the enthusiasm and excitement from everyone involved just gives me so much hope for our industry," said SCRS National Director and veteran SkillsUSA volunteer Kye Yeung. "It is such an amazing forum for students to showcase their achievements, and for advisors to promote their best and brightest. I’m proud to be part of an event that harnesses both the competition and camaraderie that stems from partnering industry, advisors and students. I’ve said it before and I continue to believe that if repair facilities think there is a shortage of quality entry-level technicians in this industry, they need to be at the SkillsUSA competitions and support everyone working to ensure a skilled future workforce in America!"
For other collision repair instructors who have an interest in attending and participating in SCRS’ RDE series at the SEMA Show, the association has partnered with the SEMA Show to offer educators a significantly discounted full-series pass to the education programs. Qualified educators who make arrangements directly through Juliet Marshall, education administrator for SEMA, at [email protected] will receive full access to all SCRS RDE regular sessions for only $50. Admission into SCRS’ OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit will also be discounted to $50 as well.
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