Shreveport Students win State Auto Skills Competition

A two-student team from Caddo Career and Technology Center has won the 2014 Louisiana Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Challenge.  

Christopher Stuteville and Kendall Lawson from Northwood High School, along with their instructor Gary Weese, will now advance to the national competition in Dearborn, Michigan, June 8-10.  Stuteville and Lawson have also won a laundry list of scholarships, tools, and other prizes outlined below.

A second team from CCTC finished third in the statewide competition and also received scholarships, tools, and prizes.  That team consisted of Samuel Deras and Gerry Alley from C.E. Byrd High School and their instructor, Daryl Oliver.

What did they win?  Here's a list of prizes provided by AAA:

First-Place Caddo Team with Automotive Technology Instructor: Gary Weese; Student Team Members: Christopher Stuteville and Kendall Lawson both from Northwood High

$25,000 in scholarships

$1,000 worth of tools in a NAPA tool box

$300 worth of Snap-on Tools

$150 Snap-on Gym Bag

$200 wireless automotive code reader

$500 worth of other gifts including a cap, shirt, and jacket with the contest emblem on each

Total Prizes = More than $27,000 in scholarships and gifts

Third-Place Caddo Team with Automotive Technology Instructor: Daryl Oliver; Student Team Members: Gerry Alley and Samuel Deras both from C. E. Byrd High

$8,500 in scholarships

$200 worth of Snap-on Tools

$200 wireless automotive code reader

$500 worth of other gifts including a cap, shirt, and jacket with the contest emblem on each

Total Prizes = More than $9,000 in scholarships and gifts

AAA says this is the first time that a school from North Louisiana has won this event.  Most of the other schools that have won this event have their students for 4 years of training.

If you've never seen the automotive shop at Caddo Career and Technology Center, you really need to schedule a visit.  As a car guy myself, I can tell you that I would give anything to have those facilities available for my use.