Each
year,
students
in
the
Auto
Technology
Program
at
C.D.
Hylton
High
School
compete
in
state
and
national
competitions
that
award
scholarships
to
the
winning
students.
Last
year,
due
to
COVID-19,
many
of
those
competitions
were
canceled.
However,
Ed
Stevens,
auto
technology
teacher,
found
another
way
for
his
students
to
receive
scholarships.
Stevens
developed
sponsorships
with
local
businesses
to
help
support
the
competition
teams.
He
had
some
sponsorship
money
left
over
from
last
year
and
had
an
idea
of
how
to
help
his
students.
Stevens
contacted
the
sponsors
to
ask
if
he
could
use
some
of
the
money
for
scholarships
directly
and
would
still
have
enough
money
for
half
of
the
sponsorships
for
this
season.
Thanks
to
sponsors
Lustine
Motor
Sports,
Sauer
Compressors
USA,
and
Cowles
Ford,
three
2020
graduates,
Carlos
Molina,
Jhalmar
Rivera,
and
Braxton
Tate,
each
received
$1,000
for
their
post-secondary
education.
All
three
now
attend
Advanced
Technology
Institute
in
Virginia
Beach.
Superintendent
of
Schools
Dr.
Steve
Walts
attended
the
ceremony
to
congratulate
Stevens
on
the
success
of
the
Auto
Technology
Program
and
to
the
students
for
their
hard
work
and
continuing
education.
Dr.
Walts
shared
with
the
audience,
"It's
always
great
to
see
our
former
students
come
back
and
to
know
that
you
are
taking
what
you
have
learned
here
and
building
on
that."
He also thanked the business partners for their continued help and support of the program.