WIX Filters Reveals Top 20 Schools In 2017 School Of The Year Competition

"The School of the Year competition is a remarkable program and we're excited to see continued growth year after year," said Jennifer Gibson, brand manager for WIX Filters. "The purpose of this initiative is to bring national focus to schools that are incredible examples of how our industry is evolving. This is a record-breaking year in terms of nominations and we can't wait to see the video submissions."

WIX Filters and O’Reilly Auto Parts, partners with Tomorrow’s Tech as title sponsors for the 2017 School of the Year competition, have announced the Top 20 schools selected from 370 nominations across 86 schools in the U.S.

“The School of the Year competition is a remarkable program and we’re excited to see continued growth year after year,” said Jennifer Gibson, brand manager for WIX Filters. “The purpose of this initiative is to bring national focus to schools that are incredible examples of how our industry is evolving. This is a record-breaking year in terms of nominations and we can’t wait to see the video submissions.”

The Top 20 schools are:

Region 1 (Northeast)

Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, Boston
Huot Career & Technical Center, Laconia, New Hampshire
New York Automotive & Diesel Institute, Jamaica, New York
Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES, New Hartford, New York
Suffolk County Community College, Selden, New York

Region 2 (South)

Cherokee High School, Canton, Georgia
Colonial Heights High School, Colonial Heights, Virginia
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Maxwell High School of Technology, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Satellite High School, Satellite Beach, Florida

Region 3 (Midwest)

Davison High School, Davison, Michigan
Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, Wisconsin
Joliet Junior College, Joliet, Illinois
Southeast Community College-Milford, Milford, Nebraska

Region 4 (West)

American River College, Sacramento, California
Blackfoot High School, Blackfoot, Idaho
Hunter High School, West Valley City, Utah
North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Portland Community College, Tigard, Oregon
Southeast Technical Institute, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

“Tomorrow’s Tech is proud to partner with O’Reilly Auto Parts and WIX Filters for the 12th year and each year both partners demonstrate growing support to recognize the best technical training schools in the U.S.,” 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.”

The Top 20 schools have been asked to submit a video highlighting their tech programs by Friday, Sept. 22. 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 in October and a formal announcement during AAPEX on Oct. 31.

The winning school will receive:

Visit by Tomorrow’s Tech staff and program sponsors
$2,500 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, visit tomorrowstechnician.com/nominate-your-school/.