STAFF REPORTS

Local Auto Tech students sport smiles and plenty of medals Waco following their showing in the Skills District Automotive Contest in Waco. They include (back, left to right) Amber Thompson, Andrea Garza, Celestino Rivera, sponsor Paul Anderlitch; (front, left to right) Francisco Lujan, Aaron Rivera, Jacob Rodriguez, Ben Reyes, Keagan McNew and Angel Garcia. (Courtesy photo)

Hays CISD Auto Tech students had a great showing in their recent Skills District Automotive Contest in Waco. Highlighting their results was an automotive project that qualified to advance to state competition. Amber Thompson was responsible on that project for Brakes, Keagan McNew, Andrea Garza and Angel Garza covered Auto Transmission and Aaron Rivera and Ben Reyes handled Engine Short Block.  Rivera, Garcia, Garza and Reyes, all of Hays High, and Francisco “Chico” Lujan of Lehman placed third in the Automotive Quiz Bowl.

Lujan and Celestino Rivera took second in Automatic Transmission, Jacob Rodriguez won a second in Brakes, and Aaron Rivera drew special praise from sponsor Paul Anderlitch for making the third round (final eight competitors) out of 100 who entered the Advanced Automotive Technician competition.

“He worked as hard as I could have asked any student to do,” Anderlitch said of Rivera.