This year has been different in a lot of ways for the New Hampshire Automotive Education Foundation events, but we are pleased to have held two successful automotive competitions for high school students, which allowed us to award over $5,000 in scholarships.
The Small Engine Competition was held on April 7th at MB Tractor of Tilton, and the Automotive Competition was held on April 17th at Nucar AutoMall of Tilton, NH. These competitions got the students out of the classroom and off Zoom for a day filled with friendly competition at hands-on skills stations. The energy was contagious, and the students showed great focus and skill.
“We were impressed with the enthusiasm that the students brought to the competitions this year,” said Education Foundation President, Mark Tulley. “NHADA is proud to create a platform where the students can showcase the skills and knowledge they have gained in their automotive programs.”
At the Small Engine Competition, 10 students from NH career and technical high schools competed in four hands-on skills categories. The first place winner and recipient of a $1,000 scholarship was Tristan Dow from the HUOT Career and Technical Center. We also had an exciting three-way tie for second place. Our second place winners and recipients of $800 scholarships were Riley Demers from HUOT Career and Technical Center, Tyler Desaultels from Salem Career and Technical Education Center, and Jack Vaughn from Mount Washington Valley Career and Technical Center.
The Automotive Competition was organized by Jamie Decato of Lakes Region Community College. Five testing stations were set up in the service bay at Nucar and monitored by community college instructors and Nucar staff members. Fourteen students from five different CTE schools competed. The first place winner and recipient of a $1,000 scholarship was Jacob Dubay from Portsmouth Career and Technical Center. The second place winner and recipient of an $800 scholarship was Adam Croteau from Portsmouth Career and Technical Center. And, the third place winner and recipient of a $500 scholarship was Kyle Ouelette from Salem Career and Technical Center.
We want to congratulate our winners as well as all the students who competed this year. We also want to thank Eva Marie Stilkey and her team at MB Tractor; Shawn Hanlon, Jim Medeiros and Adam Decato of Nucar; Jamie Decato of Lakes Region Community College; and all of our community college partners who assisted.
Even through a challenging year, the NHAEF continues to support the education and training of students through scholarships, competitions, and connections to industry so they can enter the automotive workforce prepared for their careers.
