STUDENTS EARN FIRST PRIZE IN REGIONAL AUTOMOTIVE CONTEST

Matthew Folk (Fleetwood Area School District) and Damon Schrack (home-schooled resident of Tulpehocken Area School District), seniors at Berks Career and Technology Center, West Campus, captured first prize in the Eighth Annual Greater Philadelphia Automotive Technology Competition held on March 2, 2001.

Ten school teams from Pennsylvania and New Jersey qualified for the competition and traveled to the event sponsored by the Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia. Joseph Frye (Boyertown Area School District) and Michael Sacks (Brandywine Heights Area School District), students at Berks Career and Technology Center, East Campus, also participated in the competition.

During the contest, students performed diagnostic tests and made repairs to cars at six workstations. Problem areas included engine repair, ABS disc brakes, alignment and tire balancing, on-board diagnostics and fuel injection, charging systems, and air conditioning.

Lewis Davis and Jeffrey Schmehl, BCTC Automotive Technology instructors, are understandably proud of their students' accomplishments. "They both worked really hard to prepare for this event," said Davis. "Matt told me before the competition that he'd been waiting three years for the contest and was going to give it his best effort," said Davis. "We always encourage the students to leave their legacy," said Schmehl, referring to a long-standing tradition of winning the regional contest. "Because of Matt and Damon's effort, next year's students will have the opportunity to work on a new Chrysler Town & Country minivan," said Schmehl. The car was awarded to BCTC's automotive technology program by the Daimler-Chrysler Corporation.

Folk and Schrack each received $34,000 in scholarships to various post-secondary educational institutions, as well as tools, clothing, manuals, and other items from automotive suppliers. In April they will compete at the national finals in New York City. After graduation from high school, both students plan on earning associate's degrees in automotive technology and pursuing careers in the auto industry. "The more knowledge you can acquire now," said Schrack, "the better off you'll be in the future." "We're just so thankful to Mr. Davis and Mr. Schmehl for giving us such a great start," said Folk, speaking for himself and his team mate.