Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, was named the 2013 Technical School of the Year by Tomorrow’s Tech magazine and WIX Filters during a surprise ceremony today for 150 students and instructors of the college’s Automotive Technology program.

Sinclair Community College is the sixth recipient of the annual program to find and name the best technician training school in the country. WIX and O’Reilly Auto Parts are title sponsors of the national award in conjunction with Tomorrow’s Tech, a Babcox Media publication dedicated to automotive students.

“As a longtime supporter of technician education, it is encouraging to see schools like Sinclair Community College focused on student outcomes that benefit an entire industry,” said Mike Harvey, brand manager for WIX Filter. “The School of the Year program is a great opportunity for technical schools nationwide to gain exposure for their programs and recognition for their efforts in training the next generation of highly skilled technicians.”

As the 2013 School of the Year, Sinclair Community College’s automotive program received $2,500 from WIX Filters; professional automotive tool set and $250 from O’Reilly Auto Parts; and O’Reilly and WIX Filters merchandise. In addition, the school’s instructor will attend a Babcox Media recognition dinner at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in November.

“I receive phone calls every week from dealers, manufacturers and the aftermarket industry in search of technicians trained in the advanced technologies required to service today’s high-tech, complex vehicle systems,” said Justin Morgan, chairman of the Automotive Technology program at Sinclair Community College.

“Hybrid and alternative fuel systems require a different way of thinking and that’s where the automotive training program at Sinclair Community College excels,” he said. “We provide hands-on, certified automotive training designed to ensure skilled entry-level positions with a high-paying career path. There is a very bright future ahead for the next generation of automotive technicians and we are very humbled that our efforts in this area have been recognized by the national School of the Year program.”

The School of the Year program is open to all high schools and post-secondary schools that have a subscription to Tomorrow’s Tech magazine. Of the 158 entries for the 2013 contest, 60 were from different high schools, technical schools and colleges in four geographic regions of the United States.

Twenty schools were asked to submit a video highlighting their technical programs. Judges selected the four finalists from the video entries, including Sinclair Community College as School of the Year.

“We are very pleased to acknowledge the instructors, staff and administrators of Sinclair Community College on their efforts to deliver top-notch automotive-related training and instruction to its students,” said Jeff Stankard, publisher of Tomorrow’s Tech.

“Winning the national honor of School of the Year is quite an achievement,” Stankard said. “Each year, we continue to see that the level of automotive education programs in this country continues to improve. It is our goal that we, along with the contest’s generous sponsors, highlight the skills and knowledge that the next generation of automotive service technicians are taking with them into the field.”

This year’s three runners-up are Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center, Choctaw, Okla.; Northwest Iowa Community College, Sheldon, Iowa; and Salt Lake Community College, Salt Lake City, Utah. Each runner-up will receive a professional automotive tool set and $250 gift card from O’Reilly Auto Parts.

Sinclair Community College joins the following past School of the Year recipients – Clover Park Technical College, Lakewood,Wash. (2012); Arapahoe Community College, Littleton, Colo. (2011); Caddo Career & Technology Center, Shreveport, La. (2010);Ohio Technical College, Cleveland, Ohio (2009); and Waubonsee Community College, Sugar Grove, Ill. (2008).