NHADA was proud to once again co-host the 2026 SkillsUSA New Hampshire State Automotive Competition at the end of April. Nearly 50 high school students from across the state gathered to put their skills to the test, competing for the opportunity to represent New Hampshire on the national stage in Atlanta, as well as earn top honors and industry-recognized prizes. With the support of dedicated educators, industry partners and volunteers, the event delivered a full day of rigorous, real-world competition that showcased both technical ability and professionalism.

Competition Categories

Students competed in six primary transportation-related areas:

• Power Equipment Technology
• Diesel Equipment Technology
• Collision Repair Technology
• Automotive Service Technology
• Automotive Refinishing Technology
• Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair

Competition Tasks

Competitors rotated through a series of hands-on stations designed to mirror real-world industry expectations:

• Mechanical Repair: Engine repair, wiring repair, thread repair and steering/suspension
• Diagnostics: Engine performance diagnostics and electrical circuit testing
• Professional Skills: Simulated customer service interactions, job interview techniques, personal protection equipment (PPE) knowledge, technical service information retrieval and resume evaluation

Results by Category

Automotive Maintenance & Light Repair

• Gold: Colby Orleans — Seacoast School of Technology
• Silver: Alexander Bowling — Salem HS Career & Technical Center
• Bronze: Gavin Edwards — Seacoast School of Technology

Automotive Refinishing Technology

• Gold: Theo Pistey — Dover Regional Career Technical Center
• Silver: Connor Bartlett — Dover Regional Career Technical Center
• Bronze: Michael Gardner — Lakes Region Technology Center

Automotive Service Technology

• Gold: Ayden Bernier — Lakes Region Technology Center
• Silver: Ethan Leclerc — Berlin Regional Career & Technical Center
• Bronze: Brody Bray — Portsmouth Career Technical Center

Collision Repair Technology

• Gold: Kaleb Chase — Lakes Region Technology Center
• Silver: Zander Ainsworth — Dover Regional Career Technical Center
• Bronze: Cody Kilbourne — Lakes Region Technology Center

Diesel Equipment Technology

• Gold: Kaden Cotty — Berlin Regional Career & Technical Center
• Silver: Ryley O’Neil — Seacoast School of Technology
• Bronze: Jonathan Marino — Berlin Regional Career & Technical Center

Power Equipment Technology

• Gold: Kolby Hildebrandt — Salem HS Career & Technical Center
• Silver: Alec Richardson — Seacoast School of Technology
• Bronze: Carter Lemire — Salem HS Career & Technical Center

Prizes and Advancement

Top finalists were awarded scholarships and professional-grade tools, made possible with support from industry partners including MB Tractor & Equipment, Nault’s Powersports, Nucar Automall of Tilton, and TMS Diesel:

• 1st Place: U.S. General toolbox, large tool kit and a $1,000 NHADA scholarship
• 2nd Place: Progressive tool kits
• 3rd Place: Harbor Freight gift card
• Nationals: State gold medalists earned the right to represent New Hampshire at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC), held on June 1-5, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Events like this highlight the strength of New Hampshire’s future workforce and the importance of continued investment in technical education, ensuring the next generation of technicians is prepared to meet the evolving demands of the industry.