WIX Filters and O’Reilly Auto Parts, both partners with Tomorrow’s Tech as title sponsors for the 2018 School of the Year competition, have announced the Top 20 schools selected from 221 nominations across 91 schools in the U.S.
“We continue to see year-over-year success with our School of the Year program,” said Jennifer Gibson, brand manager for WIX Filters. “WIX strives to bring awareness to how the industry is evolving and what these technical training programs are doing to keep up with those trends. The continued growth and increase of school submissions is further proof of the benefits of this program.”
The Top 20 schools are:
Region 1 (Northeast)
- Bullard-Havens Technical High School, Bridgeport, Connecticut
- Calvert Career & Technology Academy, Prince Frederick, Maryland
- Huot Technical Center, Laconia, New Hampshire
- Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES, New Hartford, New York
- Salem High School, Salem, New Hampshire
Region 2 (South)
- Cherokee High School, Canton, Georgia
- Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, Elizabethtown, Kentucky
- Forsyth Central High School, Cumming, Georgia
- Robeson County Career Center, Lumberton, North Carolina
- Satellite High School, Satellite Beach, Florida
Region 3 (Midwest)
- Auburn Career Center, Concord Township, Ohio
- North Kansas City Schools – Career and Technical Education Center, Kansas City, Missouri
- Lake County Technology Campus, Grayslake, Illinois
- Technology Center of DuPage, Addison, Illinois
Region 4 (West)
- Bonneville High School, Ogden, Utah
- Casa Roble Fundamental High School, Orangevale, California
- Gilbert High School, Gilbert, Arizona
- Kingwood Park High School, Kingwood, Houston, Texas
- Northwest Iowa Community College, Sheldon, Iowa
- Pueblo Community College at Canon City High School, Canon City, Colorado
“This is the 13th year Tomorrow’s Tech has partnered with O’Reilly Auto Parts and WIX Filters on this program and it seems to get better every year,” said Carley Hull, editor of Tomorrow’s Tech, a Babcox Media publication for automotive students. “We are continually impressed by the quality of preparation these schools are providing for their students and our partners demonstrate the upmost support to recognize the best technical training programs in the U.S.”
The Top 20 schools will submit a video highlighting their tech programs by Monday, Sept. 17. Judges will review the video entries and select four finalists, or one from each region. The winner will be selected from the four finalists, with a surprise ceremony and formal announcement during AAPEX on Oct. 29.
The winning school will receive:
- Visit by Tomorrow’s Tech staff and program sponsors
- $5,000 WIX Filters donation to the school’s program
- O’Reilly and WIX Filters gear
- Appearance by either the WIX or O’Reilly Auto Parts marketing unit
- Travel for the class instructor and a guest to Las Vegas to attend Babcox Media’s recognition dinner at AAPEX
Each nominated school will receive national recognition in Tomorrow’s Tech print and online editions, as well as through social media channels. Schools selected to the final four will receive a professional automotive tool set and a $250 gift card from O’Reilly Auto Parts.
WIX aims to find the best technical training school in the U.S. and the program is open to high schools or post-secondary schools that have a subscription to Tomorrow’s Tech. For more information, please visit tomorrowstechnician.com/tomorrows-tech-school-of-the-year/.
