Southwest ROP students Nathaniel Haugh and Jared Hindman won the Cerritos College Automotive Technology Department High School Auto Tech Competition sponsored by the Southland Motor Car Dealers Association and the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association on Feb. 10.

Both Haugh and Hindman along with Agoura High School seniors Michael Amodio and John Theodsiou will now travel to New York City to compete in the 2007 New York International Auto Show on April 10-11.

The duo from Agoura High beat out 14 other high school teams who participated. Among the 14 high school that participated where:

? Monrovia High? North Hollywood High? Van Nuys High? Venice High? Canyon High

In addition, the Southern California Regional Occupational Center and the Southeast Regional Occupational Program also competed.

During the competition, Agoura High school instructor John Andersen said his bags were packed as well, but it all lead back to the fun of having the competition that both enjoyed the most.

Also, there was also what a career in automotive technology can do for those who were there for the competition as well.

Phone calls to Agoura High School seeking further comment from its Automotive Department were not immediately returned.

For both Haugh and Hindman to win the competition it’s great.

“When the Automotive Department called and said that Hindman and I had won I was like, ‘What?’ ‘We did?'”

Haugh and Hindman are currently receiving 40 hours of training at Penske Toyota in the city of Downey for the upcoming competition.

Overall both say that to compete in the International Auto Show will be a great experience. Both also agree that there is more to automotive then just selling cars.

“There is mathematical skills and maintain that is learned through automotive,” Haugh said. “Also, mechanics are looked upon as grease monkeys, but that is not true.”

He added that during the last few weeks at Penske Toyota he’s met other mechanics who have enjoyed what they do.

Hindman said that his interest draws from being a kid and having the opportunity to take a car apart.

Friends of Haugh and Hindman also say that it’s exciting because both had won the trip to New York.

Richard Sanchez, automotive major, said that it was a surprise to him because both Haugh and Hindman were once classmates and now they are getting exposure.

As for the misconception of the car dealership business, Isaac Jimenez, automotive major, said that there is one thing that holds true about the field.

“People will know that there will always be a job in this field.”

Andrew Reed, automotive major, agreed.

Since both Reed and Sanchez are junior students within the program, there are hours of study that Haugh and Hindman are enduring in training or as Hindman described it, “it’s bumper to bumper.”

Everything from exhibiting auto technology skills by reporting diagnostic conclusions in categories such as automatic transmission, fuel injection and emission, heating and air conditioning, brakes, basic electrical, tools and measurements.

Sanchez explained that those students who have not thought about or are thinking about a career in the automotive field would benefit because it would increase knowledge of cars.