5 Tech Students Follow Love to Queens for Auto Challenge

Following a love of theirs - working on cars - five students at H.B. Ward Technical and Academic Center in Riverhead are heading to a statewide auto troubleshooting competition on Valentine's Day, with the opportunity to make it to a national competition.

Michael Rutkoski and Kevin Herrera (Mattituck-Cutchogue UFSD) placed first in the regional competition on Jan. 12th, while Darin Davis (Eastport-South Manor CSD) and Drew Achilich (Riverhead CSD) won second place. Christopher Steuerwald (Eastport-South Manor CSD) won the alternate challenge.

On Feb. 14th, all five students in the school's automotive program will compete in the statewide competition in Whitestone, Queens. 

"These competitions are a great way to earn both recognition and scholarships," explained Mike O'Hara, H.B. Ward's Automotive Technology instructor. "These students have already won scholarships along with their trophies. They will all have the opportunity to attend post secondary training after high school pretty much tuition free."

In order to make it to the state competition, the teams matched up agaisnt 28 other teams, performing a 35-point inspection, which included checking fluid levels, electrical systems, brakes, and more, working their way through 12 different stations. The first place winners earned 963 out of 1,000 points, and the second place team earned a total of 869 points.

Rutkoski, who comes from a line of individuals in the auto industry - his grandfather is Buzz Chew of Long Island Chevrolet and Cadillac - has already earned a $13,000 scholarship to the Lincoln Technical Institute next year. 

Herrera is already working as a paid intern at Riverhead Toyota, and seven of his peers in the program, said O'Hara, have similar opportunities at the moment.

"Even though I came into the program not knowing anything about engines, I've learned a lot and am looking forward to becoming a mechanic," Herrera said. "You can't ask for a better program than the one here at H. B. Ward."

According to the GNYADA's website, “The National Automotive Technology Competition is a test of skill, a measure of knowledge, and a race against the clock--all rolled into one. It features hundreds of the nation's best high school automotive education students from across the country competing for the title of The Nation's Best Automotive Technician."