Hawaii Team Wins 1995 Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills National Quality Care Challenge

Strategic Insights -

In the nation's top high school auto technician showdown, a two-person team from Hawaii demonstrated exceptional speed and accuracy, winning the 1995 Ford/AAA STUDENT AUTO SKILLS National Quality Care Challenge with over $40,000 in prizes. The Maui High School duo, Jesse Kaimikaua and Chris Olsten, both 18, outperformed teams from all 50 states. The competition, sponsored by Ford Motor Co. and the American Automobile Association, involved a written examination and a "hands-on" repair of deliberately bugged 1994 Ford Mustangs.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Hawaii team, composed of Jesse Kaimikaua and Chris Olsten, won the competition with a combination of speed and accuracy, earning over $40,000 in scholarships and awards.
  • The top 10 teams received scholarship awards ranging from $23,500 to $1,000, with the Hawaii team receiving the highest prize.
  • The competition involved a written examination, accounting for 40% of the team's score, and a "hands-on" repair, making up 60% of the score.
  • Approximately 6,000 students participated in the state level competition, with around 1,000 teams participating in the state "hands-on" contests.
  • The Ford Quality Care Trophy was awarded to Jesse Davis and Ronald Smith, from Vale High School, for scoring the highest on the written exam.
  • The Quality Automotive Teacher Award was presented to Kyle Sera, the instructor of the winning team from Hawaii.
  • The contest is designed to encourage students to pursue careers in automotive service, with the support of auto service industry suppliers, educational institutions, and organizations.

Statistics:

  • 6,000 students participated in the state level competition.
  • Approximately 1,000 teams participated in the state "hands-on" contests.
  • The winning team from Hawaii received prizes of over $40,000.
  • The scholarship awards for the top 10 teams ranged from $23,500 to $1,000.
  • The competition was sponsored by Ford Motor Co. and the American Automobile Association.
  • The contest has been running for several years, with the exact number of years not specified in the article.

Sources:

  • "Hawaii Team Wins 1995 Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills National Quality Care Challenge" (press release, June 19, 1995)
  • Ford Motor Company
  • American Automobile Association (AAA)