Edison goes into high gear at auto tech competition
Top 10 performance and big prizes earned at International Auto Show mechanics tourney
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Two seniors from
Thomas A. Edison Career
and Technical Education
High School in Jamaica
demonstrated their superior
auto technician skills placing
in the Top 10 nationwide in
the National Automotive
Technology Competition
on April 24 during a final
showdown at the Jacob Javits
Convention Center.
Finalists Jordy Castro and
Lazaro Isidoro were randomly
assigned a 2019 Lexus and
worked with local dealership
Rallye Lexus in Glen Cove
weeks prior to the final round
to practice. Their instructor
Miguel Sierra, placed
first in the competitions
Instructor Challenge.
“Win or lose, it’s a
wonderful experience for my
students because it shows
them what is expected in the
industry and trains them to
meet those standards,” said
Sierra. “I could not be more
impressed and inspired by my
students’ hard work, problem
solving abilities, and highly
technical knowledge. I look
forward to following their
long and successful future
careers in the auto industry.”
For their strong showing,
the team, which came in
ninth place out of 29 teams
was awarded:
• $10,000 Ohio Technical
College Scholarship
• $6,000-$8,000 University
of Northwestern Ohio
Scholarship
• $2,000 Universal Technical
Institute Scholarship
• $3,000 Lincoln Technical
Institute Scholarship
• Snap-on Tool Bag, 8 Piece
Screwdriver Set, and 2 Piece
Wide Radiator Hose Pick Set
Organized by the Greater
New York Automobile Dealers
Association since 1993,
the National Automotive
Technology Competition is
the auto industry’s largest
school-to-work initiative and
pits the nation’s best auto tech
students against each other for
the chance to win $3 million
Miguel Sierra (l.) accepting his trophy for winning the Instructor
Challenge. Photo courtesy of Dominick Totino Photography
in prizes and scholarships.
The competition
culminates with a threehour,
under-the-hood faceoff,
where students diagnose
and repair automobiles that
are rigged with a variety of
malfunctions in front of a live
New York International Auto
Show audience.
According to Mark
Schienberg, president of the
Greater New York Automobile
Dealers Association, the
competition is designed to
encourage more rigorous
standards for vocational
education to ensure students
master the skills they need to
succeed as lifelong learners,
workers and citizens.
“There is a huge shortage
of skilled technicians in the
industry and we need these
highly motivated and talented
young people in dealerships
across the country to make
sure vehicle owners have
access to technicians with the
best computer and technical
skills,” said Schienberg.
Speaking at the
competition’s awards banquet
at the opening of the Auto
Show on April 20, Mark
Schroeder, Commissioner
New York State Department
of Motor Vehicles, applauded
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s
announcement of a new
statewide automotive jobs
and vocational education
program.
“We look forward to
working with all stakeholders
to create a positive program
that will benefit students
and industry and ultimately
the people who buy and drive
cars,” said Schroeder.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by email at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718)
260–4526.
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