Have car problems? Ask Zach Cozadd, BHS and Apollo student to check it out. He can probably find the problem.
Cozadd was among 20 high school students from across Ohio who recently put their knowledge of automobiles to the test as they competed in the 63rd annual Ford/AAA Auto Skills State Competition at Owens Community College.
The top teams were awarded scholarships and prizes with the championship team also advancing to the National Finals at the Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn, Mich., June 10-12.
Apollo Career Center Auto Tech team, Cozadd, Bluffton, and Sebastian Moneer, Spencerville, took second place and are eligible for the following scholarships: $1500-Ford ASSET or Fact, $8000-Lincoln Tech, $7500 - Ohio Technical College, $6000 - UNO, $6000 - Nashville Auto Diesel, or $5000 - Universal Technical Institute.
Apollo hasn't had a team compete in this competition since 2003, when Zach's step-brother Justin Davis, Bluffton, qualified. Zach is the son of Beth and Terry Davis, Bluffton, and Chris and Ann Cozadd, Illinois.
Sponsored by the Ford Motor Co. and AAA, the state contest involved 10 high school teams, consisting of two students, completing various testing to determine their expertise of automobiles.
As part of the practical skills competition, teams were required to locate, identify and repair malfunctions on new 2012 Ford Fusion vehicles, which were donated by the Hertz Corp.
Once the vehicle was properly diagnosed and repaired, the each team drove across the finish line, where the vehicle was inspected by judges, comprised of automotive industry professionals.
The state championship went to Trumbull Career and Technical Center in Warren (Liki Turner of Warren and Robert Strohmeyer of Brookfield).
Over 12,000 students from across the United States annually compete for the chance to represent their school and state in the National Finals. The Ford/AAA Auto Skills State Competitions will offer nearly $12 million in scholarships this year to students at both the state and national levels.
