The “School of the Year” competition, sponsored by WIX Filters and O’Reilly Auto Parts, is a national contest to find and name the best technician training school in the country. The 2022 School of the Year program is open to all high schools or post-secondary schools that enter via the Tomorrow’s Tech nomination form. Twenty finalists will be announced after all submissions are received on Friday, August 12, 2022. Judges will then review entry criteria and select the top school from each of the four regions in the U.S. – or the Top 4. The winner will be selected from the four finalists and announced in early November.
After the School of the Year finalists are announced (the top 20 schools), the judges begin the process of narrowing down the picks to a group called the Top 4. This consists of the top school from each of the four regions in the country. The School of the Year winner is chosen from that Top 4 list.
The winning school will receive:
• $10,000 WIX Filters donation to the school’s program
• WIX Filters gear
• Appearance by the WIX marketing unit*
• Visit by Tomorrow’s Tech staff and program sponsors *
• Travel for the class instructor and a guest to Las Vegas to attend Babcox Media’s recognition dinner at AAPEX.
The Top 20 schools will receive national recognition on the Tomorrow’s Tech website and newsletters, as well as through social media channels and video platforms. Schools that are selected to the Top 4 will receive a $500 gift card from Wix.
Judging
The School of the Year contest is judged by editorial staff from Babcox Media, publisher of Tomorrow’s Tech, as well as a designated group from contest sponsor WIX Filters. There are many aspects that make today’s automotive and secondary schools stand out.
Schools that are notified that they have been named to the Top 20 list must provide video, which showcases the school, instructors and students. Within the video, the following questions should be addressed:
- What do you credit for the positive learning environment in your automotive program?
- What is the greatest challenge facing tomorrow’s techs as they enter the industry?
- How are you addressing the innovations in the automotive industry?
- In a time when some schools are cutting various programs due to funding, how has your automotive program been able to succeed?
We encourage instructors and their students to interview, on video, instructors and some students, and discuss a special project the class is working on. We also like to see the classrooms, auto labs, tool inventory and any other areas instructors would like to showcase.
Other information schools should provide: graduation percentage rate, community service and other special projects, teacher/student ratio, scholarships, employment percentage rate, programs offered and awards.
Sponsors
About WIX Filters, wixfilters.com
Our focus today is the same as it was when we were founded in 1939 – to provide our customers with premium quality filters designed to exceed their performance demands. We are proud of our nearly eight decades of growth and innovation, and our focus on product development has made the name “WIX Filters” synonymous with a rich tradition of excellence.
With 11 facilities in eight countries, WIX manufacturers more than 210 million filters annually and has customers in over 80 countries. We also have more than 3,500 employees globally, including 1,500 in the greater Gastonia area, and their daily passion and personal dedication help us make the best filter in the world.
About O’Reilly Auto Parts, oreillyauto.com
O’Reilly Automotive intends to be the dominant supplier of auto parts in our market areas by offering our retail customers, professional installers, and jobbers the best combination of price and quality provided with the highest possible service level. From our roots as a single store in 1957 to our current size of 5,219 locations (and growing), we’ve come a long way.
O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. was founded in 1957 by the O’Reilly family and is one of the largest specialty retailers of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories in the United States, serving both the do-it-yourself and professional service provider markets.
FAQs
Who can nominate a school? Any instructor, administrator, student, parent, advertiser – literally anyone can nominate a school.
How do I nominate my school? Simply click “NOMINATE” button above and complete the short form. Your school’s nomination will then be sent to the judges.
Is this open to all schools? It is open to any school that currently has a subscription to Tomorrow’s Tech, either in print or online.
How will I know if my school won? The instructor or main administrator for the winning school will be notified by phone and/or e-mail. Check the dates on the timeline for all deadlines.
I have a question that is not listed here. Please email us at [email protected].