By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Students of Worcester Technical High School’s automotive technology program have something old to work on — four Chevy Tahoes donated to the school by county government.

School Principal Tony Bevilacqua, auto program teacher Tony Saullo and students gathered with county officials and county school Superintendent Annette Wallace last Thursday as the keys and titles to the high-mileage vehicles were handed over to the school. The SUVs had reached the end of their service life per county policy.

Rather than sell the used cars through an online auction marketplace for a “nominal, one-time return,” the county commissioners voted to donate them to the technical school for its automotive technology classes.

“While these aged vehicles may no longer meet county fleet needs, they run just fine and hold tremendous value as training resources for workforce development,” said Commissioner President Ted Elder in the county-issued memo. “When you weigh the benefits, donating these vehicles just makes good sense.”

According to Bevilacqua, the cars will join the auto program’s fleet of vehicles used for mechanical lessons. It also helps that the cars are the same year and model.

“When [Saullo] is teaching something specific like brakes and rotors, it gives the students pretty much the same experience because he can then tailor the lesson, so they are doing the same thing on four of the same vehicles, as opposed to having four different vehicles where it’s going to be different,” Bevilacqua said.

Not only will the Tahoes offer additional educational resources to the tech school, but they are also another step in raising the profile of the school’s career programs.

“Auto kind of goes underrepresented sometimes,” Bevilacqua said, adding that the school’s engineering and biomedical science departments are frequently recognized, while programs like auto technology and cosmetology go more under the radar despite their great success.

Both cosmetology and auto have 100% state exam pass rates, meaning that when the students finish the program and are required to take their certification boards, every student leaves the school with the ability to work in the trade.

“We have a 100% pass rate for the cosmetology exam, where the state is like 60%, and everyone is calling and saying, ‘How are you all doing it?’” Bevilacqua said. “Same thing with [Saullo]. He is the opposite end, for the guys. So, cosmetology is killing it. Auto is killing it. [Saullo’s] got a 100% pass rate. He puts these kids to work, making good money.”

To maintain that level of success schoolwide, Bevilacqua said the school’s vision is for 100% of its students to be enrolled, enlisted or employed upon graduation. To promote this mission, each fall, from September to the end of October, Bevilacqua and his vice principal meet with every senior, asking them about their post-school plans.

The administration team will catch up with these students again in December, January and the spring to gauge their progress. Administrative personal also reach out to the guidance counselors at other local schools to help students who need that extra push to the finish line.

“What we’ve found is students will say, ‘I started my Wor-Wic application, but I haven’t completed it.’ They need help. ‘I don’t know what to do for FAFSA (federal student aid).’ They’ll say, ‘I want to do an apprenticeship, but I don’t know where to get started.’ They’ll say, ‘I’m going to go to work,’” Bevilacqua said. “They’re going to say those things. So, then the next round is, we want to find out, ‘Where are you at in all that? Did you finish your application? Did you get FAFSA started?

“That has been our focus. It’s making sure no one falls through the cracks,” the principal continued. “We know their names, we know their strengths and then we find out our seniors and what their needs are.’ And we can email Pocomoke High and say, ‘These students said that they’re stuck on their Wor-Wic applications.’

“They’re like, ‘I’m on it.’ And then those kids come back the next day and say, ‘What did you do? My guidance counselor pulled me off the bus and made me come in and finalize all this.’ I think we’ve got a good system, and if we can continue that, then everybody is in a purposeful, meaningful space when they graduate.”

School leaders and local officials agree that they would like to see graduates remain in the area, where they can maintain and improve services and quality of life on the Eastern Shore.

In addition to helping the school, the donation of the cars helps the relationship between the school and county government.

“Donating these surplus vehicles is such a win for everyone,” said County Commissioner Eric Fiori. “The students gain valuable experience working on these late-model SUVs, our businesses benefit from a stronger pipeline of skilled workers and our citizens know that their tax dollars are being invested wisely and stretched as far as possible.”

Residents or businesses who have working vehicles they no longer need, are invited to donate them to the school’s auto program. Those interested can contact the WCPS Finance Office at 410-632-5063.