Two Tucson high school seniors win scholarships to attend community college
MESA, Arizona -- April 25, 2016 -- The Maricopa County Community College District is proud to announce the winners of the 2016 Arizona High School Automotive Challenge sponsored by ABC Nissan. The event was hosted at Mesa Community College on April 22. Natasha Alday and Steven Upton, seniors at Flowing Wells High School in Tucson, received first place honors, competing against nine other teams from high schools across the state in a timed challenge to fix a uniformly “bugged” 2016 Nissan Sentra. Both students were awarded a $1,200 scholarship, courtesy of Rocky Mountain Fleet Association, to a community college of their choice, as well as a Matco tool box equipped with tools and a trophy for their school. Second place winners, Yoshael Cisneros and Jake McConnell from West-MEC in Peoria, and third place winners, Nathan Kulpa and Sean Christensen from East Valley Institute of Technology in Mesa, each received Matco tool sets and a trophy for their schools.
“It was my pleasure to welcome students from around the state to compete today. Thank you to ABC Nissan and Rocky Mountain Fleet Association for creating this opportunity. Without their help, important programs like this wouldn't be possible. The skills and education the students demonstrated today are important and invaluable tools that will lead them down career paths in dealerships, school districts, government and more,” said City of Mesa Vice Mayor Dennis Kavanaugh.
“ABC Nissan was proud to sponsor this event in partnership with the Maricopa Community Colleges and be a part of this initiative to help propel students in the direction of the automotive industry and workforce. We would like to congratulate the winners of today’s competition,” said Keith Billings, ABC Nissan Fixed Operations Director.
Automotive instructors from Glendale Community College, Gateway Community College and Mesa Community College -- the three Maricopa Community Colleges that offer postsecondary degree and certificate automotive programs -- banded together to present the challenge to raise awareness of the dynamic and challenging field of automotive technology.
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Contacts
Mesa Community College, Dawn Zimmer, 480-461-7892, dawn.zimer@mesacc.edu
ABC Nissan, Jamie Morris LeVine, 480-284-6033, Jamie@slentertainment.com
ABC Nissan was established in 1982 in the Camelback Corridor and has grown from a small franchise into one of the area’s largest Nissan dealerships. The dealership staff and management is dedicated to providing top notch service for the best experience. ABC Nissan is regularly involved in local events and has supported several organizations and schools throughout the Valley, including Thunderbird High School, St. Teresa Elementary School and Phoenix Children’s Hospital. For more information, please visit ABCNissan.com.
Mesa Community College (MCC) is nationally recognized for its service-learning, civic engagement and innovative educational programs, which include university transfer, career and technical, workforce development, and lifelong learning. Host to nearly 40,000 students annually, MCC offers more than 195 degrees and certificate programs at its two campuses and additional locations. MCC’s student body hails predominantly from the East Valley of Phoenix and includes Veteran, American Indian and International students who enrich the learning experience. Award-winning faculty are dedicated to student success providing the education and training that empowers MCC students to compete locally and globally. MCC is one of 10 colleges that comprise the Maricopa County Community College District. The District also includes the Maricopa Corporate College and two skill centers. For additional information, visit mesacc.edu.
Mesa Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) http://www.ncahlc.org, 800-621-7440.
The Maricopa County Community College District is an EEO/AA institution and an
equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.