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Reminder about I-CAR Education Foundation’s Ultimate Collision Education Makeover

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You can “Fuel the Future” of the collision industry by potentially receiving a $50,000 upgrade to your collision program through the I-CAR® Education Foundation’s “Ultimate Collision Education Makeover” grant.
 
The I-CAR Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization, whose goal is to fuel the future of the industry by enriching opportunities for students in collision education. The Education Foundation exists solely on donations from the entire collision industry, from large insurance companies to local one-location collision repair shops all over North America. Our donation program, the “Collision Repair Education Campaign,” collects these donations and redistributes them in the form of grants and scholarships to collision repair schools, students, and instructors.
   
Our goal with the “Ultimate Collision Education Makeover” grant is to honor a school that has been doing an outstanding job educating students in collision repair, but needs some financial assistance to improve their program’s materials and equipment. With school budgets usually never large enough, we are honored to have the opportunity to bridge the program’s financial gap and to really make a difference in the lives of the students studying collision repair.
 
Any not-for-profit or public school with a collision program is eligible for this grant. The school chosen as the winner for this grant will be able to purchase and/or receive equipment and supplies valued at up to $50,000.  A list of what the school is requesting through this grant is required as an attachment to the application.
 
The “Ultimate Collision Education Makeover” grant debuted in 2009 when Steel Center Area Vocational Technical School (Jefferson Hills, PA) was chosen as the recipient of the award. 
 
If you are asking, “Why should I apply if there is only one winner?”, consider the fact that the 35 other schools that applied for the 2009 award but did not win the top prize have received $130,000+ in donated supplies and equipment, as the Foundation used the $50,000 “wish lists” in the applications to match up donations from industry supporters. 
 
The application can be found by clicking here. It must be printed from the web site and mailed back to the I-CAR Education Foundation with the appropriate signatures and attachments. The postmark deadline is September 7, 2010.
 
If you have any questions about the grant, please contact me at 888.722.3787, Ext. 282.
 
We are proud to be able to offer this “Ultimate Collision Education Makeover” grant and we look forward to receiving your application.
 
 
Best Regards,
 
Melissa Marscin
I-CAR Education Foundation
Assistant Director of Grant Programs

888.722.3787, Ext. 282

INDUSTRY INVITED TO JOIN I-CAR EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOR 2009 MAKEOVER WINNING SCHOOL RIBBON CUTTING

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HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL – August 5, 2010 – Industry professionals are invited to join Steel Center Area Vocational Technical School in Jefferson Hills, PA and the I-CAR Education Foundation the afternoon of Thursday, September 9th for a ribbon cutting ceremony in celebration of the school winning the first annual Ultimate Collision Education Makeover $50,000 school grant. On display during the event will be the tools, equipment, supplies, and other items that the school obtained through the grant. The event will include presentations from school administration and I-CAR Education Foundation staff, meet and greet with students, tours of the facility, and an evening dinner reception.

The goal of the Ultimate Collision Education Makeover program is to honor a school that has been doing an outstanding job in educating students in collision repair, but is in need of financial assistance to improve their program’s teaching materials and equipment. As the winning school, Steel Center AVTS was able to select $50,000 in supplies, tools, and equipment needed specifically for their collision program, thereby making a difference in the education of the students studying collision repair.

The I-CAR Education Foundation would like to officially recognize the following industry companies who supported the 2009 Ultimate Collision Education Makeover grant program: 3M; Airgas, Inc.; ALLDATA; BASF Corporation; BECCA; Chicago Pneumatic; Chief Automotive Technologies; Col-Met; Crest Industries; DeVilbiss Automotive Refinishing; FinishMaster; Goff’s Enterprises; Gorilla Glue; I-CAR; International Epoxies & Sealers; The Lincoln Electric Company; Mac Tools; Miller Electric; Mitchell International; Motor Guard; PPG Automotive Refinishes; Sherwin Williams Automotive Refinishes; Sperian Protection; Sterling Autobody Centers; TOONA Automotive Paint & Equipment; and Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A, Inc.

I-CAR Education Foundation Executive Director Scott Kruger added, “I would like to again congratulate Steel Center AVTS and collision instructor Jim Fichera on winning the first annual Education Foundation Makeover grant. It has been an absolute pleasure working with Jim over the past several months in fulfilling his $50,000 wish list for his collision program and we are excited to join Jim in having the upgraded facility on display in September.

I invite all industry members to join us at the school for the ribbon cutting not only to see the newly enhanced collision program, but to also meet the students whose collision education will be impacted by this grant. The Foundation looks forward to awarding another Makeover grant this fall during SEMA. It is only through the industry’s support of the Foundation that these types of grants are possible.”

Those interested in attending the ribbon cutting ceremony are asked to RSVP by contacting I-CAR Education Foundation Assistant Director of Grant Programs Melissa Marscin at Melissa.Marscin@ed-foundation.org.

The I-CAR Education Foundation, founded in 1991, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to securing donations that support philanthropic and collision repair education activities that promote and enhance career opportunities in the industry.

I-CAR Offers Scholarships For Students in Collision Repair

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I-CAR has several scholarships for students to apply for. If you are a student in our collision repair program or you are going to be enrolling, take a few minutes to explore the scholarships offered. The scholarship requires that the collision repair school be NATEF certified or a member of the I-CAR Industry Training Alliance. Butler Community College fully qualifies, as we are both NATEF certified and a member of the I-CAR Industry Training Alliance. We also use CCC estimating system, which is the qualification for one of the scholarships.

To determine is you qualify for one of the scholarships please visit http://www.ed-foundation.org/ foundation.org and click on the 2010 scholarship PDF file.

“The applicant criteria for each scholarship are included within the application. All entries must be received by the I-CAR Education Foundation by February 24, 2010 to be eligible. Winners will be chosen in April 2010 and notified by mail and phone. For more information, please contact the I-CAR Education Foundation at 888.722.3787, Ext. 282 or melissa.marscin@ed-foundation.org“