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Student of the Year

February 9, 2018 By admin

Student of the Year Winner Gets Noticed

Annie Michalski, one of two winners of the 2016 Collision Repair Education Foundation’s Student of the Year Award, says she feels welcome in a world where she never thought she would, and she’s planning to stick around. The automotive collision repair industry is lucky to have her; in a time when demands are rising, technology is advancing rapidly, and the vast majority of employees are male and over age 35, it’s in desperate need of people like Michalski. She’s hoping to make the industry more welcoming to others like her: intelligent millennial women.

Annie Michalski, a 2016 Student of the Year winner, was featured on the cover of the February 2017 issue of Fenderbender magazine.

Currently, Michalski represents two minorities in the industry: women and young people. She hopes that by stepping up and setting an example, she can continue to be a role model for future generations. She said, “I’m a woman, and there aren’t a lot of women in the industry. The thing about that is, every single woman I have met in the industry is amazingly strong and pushing us further every day to equality. The thing that I still see needing much work is the age gap. There are so few technicians entering the scene nowadays.”

When she was first introduced to the collision repair program at her school, Michalski was a little intimidated. “I won’t lie, anytime I was ever approached about the industry… it was older men who were… shown as the standard in the field. I think we need to break that stereotype.” Within a few days, she decided it was the opportunity she needed to prove herself as both a young person and a woman. Michalski has studied collision repair since her sophomore year of high school, and this year, was selected as a CREF student of the year.

Michalski said, “I’d like to say I was selected because my teacher (John Warabow) saw the potential in me… I’m drive and enjoy the art and science of collision repair.”

On being selected as a CREF student of the year, Michalski said, “The Collision Repair Education Foundation helped me understand how far one could go in this industry; without them I would be a lot more lost and have a foggier future.”

The collision repair program at her school has enabled Michalski to complete several certifications. In addition, she is a member of SkillsUSA, she serves on the collision program’s Advisory Committee, and she works at a local dealership as part of the cooperative education program. Her accomplishments in collision repair have helped to shape her dream of continuing to a career in the industry, and enabled her to find a path to do it. Michalski said, “I hope to continue forward into the business aspect of the industry. I plan on attending college in the fall for management or marketing.”

Michalski was also interviewed by CollisionWeek publisher Russell Thrall. The video of that interview appears below.

Michalski, who attended Western Area Career and Technology in Canonsburg, Pa. was nominated by her instructor, John Warabow, who wrote in his recommendation for the award last year, “Anna entered my program as a sophomore and is now a senior. Her ability to communicate with fellow students, staff and faculty has made her well-known and respected. She has become a true leader in the class and her fellow students are encouraged by her positive attitude and the ability to accomplish any given task.”

In the video above, Michalski explains what attracted her to a career in the collision industry, how her family and friends reacted and supported her decision. She also talks about the support she has received from the industry, including from Petra Schroeder, chair of the Women’s Industry Network, as well as the Foundation. Michalski graduated high school in 2017 and is attending college, planning to study business. She plans to combine the business skills she learns in college with the technical skills she gained in collision repair to find a career in the industry upon graduation.

Filed Under: News & Events, Slider Tagged With: Student of the Year

October 17, 2017 By admin

COLLISION REPAIR EDUCATION FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES WINNER OF STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD

HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL – October 17, 2017 – The Collision Repair Education Foundation has selected the winner of its “Collision Students of the Year” award. This year’s recipient, nominated by her collision instructor, Andy Retz, is Rosalinda Pop-Pablo, a high school senior studying collision repair at Lorenzo Walker Technical College in Naples. Florida.

 

Both the winner and her instructor will receive a trip to SEMA 2017 where the pair will be honored at the Education Foundation’s evening reception on Tuesday, October 31st.

 

“Although she is a high school senior, and therefore younger than most of the student in my auto collision repair program here at Lorenzo Walker Technical College in Naples, Florida, Rosalinda has demonstrated more ambition and determination that any student in recent memory,” said Retz in his nomination letter to the Foundation. “She is an inspiration to young people everywhere considering entering the auto body business.”

 

The Foundation also announced two individuals who were runners up for the 2017 Student of the Year award. The runners up include:

  • Makayla Baldwin, Bradley Central High School, Cleveland, Tenn.
  • Dylan Wertz, Sentinel Career & Technology Center, Tiffin, Ohio.

 

All industry members are welcome to join the Collision Repair Education Foundation during SEMA 2017 to celebrate Pop-Pablo’s achievement who will be honored at the Collision Repair Education Foundation Industry Reception at 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October  31st at the Renaissance Hotel. To RSVP for the event, please email info@ed-foundation.org.

 

Those interested in joining the Collision Repair Education Foundation and supporting local collision school programs, should contact Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org/ 847-463-5244.

Filed Under: Press Release, Slider Tagged With: Student of the Year

August 30, 2017 By admin

Student of the Year Nominations Due September 22, 2017

Annie Michalski, who attended Western Area Career and Technology in Canonsburg, Pa., was one of two named Collision Student of the Year in 2016. She was featured on the cover of the February 2017 issue of Fender Bender magazine.

Nominations for the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s Collision Student of the Year award are Due September 22, 2017.

The nomination form is available to download.

Eligibility Requirements (All of the following requirements must be met.)

  1. Applicant’s school must have completed the Foundation’s 2017-2018 Collision Repair School Solutions
    Survey. If you are not sure if you participated, contact Janet Marczyk at janet.marczyk@ed-foundation.org.
  2. Nominated student and instructor must be able to attend SEMA 2017 in Las Vegas. The award will cover two
    nights of hotel each for the instructor and for the student, airfare (or mileage if driving), and meals. The
    student/instructor will be required to attend the Education Foundation’s reception at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, October
    31st and the instructor roundtable on Wednesday, November 1st at 9:00 a.m.
  3. Nominated student must be currently studying collision repair/refinishing at a school.

Complete details, including rules and eligibility information is available in the nomination form.

 

Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: Nominations, Student of the Year

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About the Foundation


The Collision Repair Education Foundation is a national nonprofit and tax-exempt student organization under the Internal Revenue Service Code, Section (501)(c)(3).

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ADDRESS:
Collision Repair Education Foundation
5125 Trillium Blvd.
Hoffman Estates, IL 60192

PHONE: 888.722.3787
Email: info@ed-foundation.org

Recent Posts

  • Three Collision School Programs Receive $5,000 Benchmark Grants Funded by Caliber Collision through CREF
  • Operative Talent: A Mission to Engage Students in Collision Careers
  • Chief Automotive’s $75,000 In-Kind Donation Benefits Collision Schools Through CREF
  • CREF Introduces 2023 Executive Committee
  • CREF Opens Applications for 2023 Benchmark Grants
  • LKQ’s Ongoing Support of Collision Schools Through CREF Makes a Huge Impact on the Industry’s Future
  • CREF Invites Collision Industry to Spring 2023 High School & College Transportation Student Career Fairs

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