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News for April 26

Top Rhode Island High School Auto Technicians to Compete in State Finals of AAA/Ford Auto Skills
(posted by Public Affairs on April 26 @ 15:13 )
Ten teams of high school automotive technology students will compete for scholarships and prizes plus a trip to the national finals when the annual AAA/Ford Auto Skills state finals are held Thursday, May 10 at 10 a.m. at the Warwick Mall.
The ten, two-member teams will try to correctly diagnose and repair deliberately “bugged”, identical Ford cars. The students earned their way to the state finals by being the top scorers on a written exam.
The winning teams will be able to choose from a number of scholarships, and all competing students will receive prizes for reaching the state finals. The winners and their instructors will represent Rhode Island in the national finals in June in Dearborn, Michigan.
“Today’s automotive technicians must rely on brainpower more than muscle power to keep today’s sophisticated vehicles on the road,” said John Paul, AAA Southern New England Manager of Traffic Safety. “ In many cases, the first tool a technician reaches for is an advanced diagnostic computer rather than a wrench or screwdriver.”
Estimates are that there is a nationwide shortage of 60,000 trained service and repair technicians, with annual salaries ranging from $35,000-$75,000.
AAA Southern New England is a not-for-profit auto club with 34 offices in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, providing more than 2 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, finance, and auto-related services.

AAA/FORD AUTO SKILLS CONTEST
Rhode Island State Finalists

Burrillville High School - Harrisville
Joseph Makowski, Pascoag
Cory Carlson, Pascoag
Timothy Durigan, Instructor

Coventry High School Regional Career Center - Coventry
Joshua Slade, North Kingstown
Edward Krawzik, Coventry
Thomas Cook, Instructor

Cranston High School East - Cranston
Adam Lester, Cranston
Dillon Evans, Cranston
Mark Vendettuoli, Instructor

Cranston Area Career and Technical Center - Cranston
Paul McAtee, Foster Deric Divozzi, Cranston
Richard Iozzi, Instructor

East Providence Technical Center - East Providence
John Medeiros, Riverside Thomas McVay, Riverside
Jim Thomson, Instructor

Davies Career Technical High School (2 teams) - Lincoln
Corey Sylvester, Pawtucket Fernando Jaramillo, Pawtucket
Don Haining, Instructor
Christopher Diaz, Pawtucket Dennis Brennan, Manville
William Murphy, Instructor

Warwick Area Career & Technical Center (2 teams) - Warwick
Brandon Sage, Warwick
Nathan McSorly, Warwick
William Cilli, Instructor
Christopher Vanloon, Warwick
Edward Florio, Warwick
David Tibbetts, Instructor

Woonsocket Area Career & Technical Center - Woonsocket
Dennis Ouellette, Woonsocket
Mark Henderson, Cumberland
Philippe Jacques, Instructor


2001 AAA Southern New England