Four OSTC-NE Collision Repair Students Advance to State SkillsUSA

Eight Automotive Technology and Collision Repair students from OSTC Northeast competed at the Regional SkillsUSA competition, with four advancing to the state conference in April.

In Collision Repair, Jeremiah Gustafson and Bryce Brown, both seniors from Pontiac ITA, placed second and fourth, respectively. In Automotive Refinishing, Felix Renner, a senior from Rochester Stoney Creek High School, earned first place, while Kevin Vega Ramos, a senior from Pontiac ITA, placed second.

Students who attended the competition included Adan Escobedo and Freddy Guzman Garcia of Oxford High School; Adolfo Alvarado of Lake Orion High School; Felix Renner and Cole Szukaitis of Rochester Stoney Creek High School; and Bryce Brown, Jeremiah Gustafson and Kevin Vega Ramos of Pontiac ITA.

“I feel like we’re a bit better prepared here. Our instructors care about Skills, so we practice,” said Gustafson.

Renner said preparation played a key role in his success.

“This year I feel like I was much more prepared. It takes a long time to develop a technique, especially with the spray guns,” he said.

To prepare for state, Vega Ramos plans to increase practice time after school and focus on correcting technical flaws. Brown said the competition revealed areas for growth.

“I’m not as good under pressure as I thought,” Brown said. “I’m working under a time limit in class and imposing my own harder limits on myself for some projects.”