South Elgin automotive tech students place 10th in national event

ELGIN - South Elgin High School Automotive Technology students competed in the sixth annual Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge Championships in Las Vegas earlier last month, earning 10th place in the competition.

Graduates Max Aldred, Ethan Delhaye and Kyle Delhaye and current students Allen Markham, and Dan Perritt participated in the event.

"The competition was fierce and it challenged our team to push themselves even harder," said Steve Schertz, South Elgin High School automotive coach. "The experience was so rewarding and we are really proud of what we accomplished."

During the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge, students demonstrated common hand tool and engine assembly techniques to tear down and reassemble an engine, ensuring it would run correctly. The South Elgin High team's average completion time for the challenge was 31:04.

"Congratulations to our students for their national recognition in the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge," said Elgin Area School District U-46 CEO Tony Sanders. "Their participation in this event offers valuable experience to succeed in the field of automotive technology."

In February, three teams from South Elgin High will participate in the state competition at the Race and Performance Expo in St. Charles. The event will feature South Elgin's first all-girls team.