Growing up in Niagara Falls, N.Y., Tyler O’Callahan loved to get his hands dirty tinkering with four wheelers and dirt bikes. So when he went on to Niagara Falls High School, it’s no wonder he decided to check out the Niagara Frontier Auto Dealers Association’s Ron Smith Memorial AutoTech Competition.
The local competition is open to Western New York high school juniors and seniors enrolled in a Career & Technical school automotive program. Junior’s get their first taste of the program by participating in a Tire Rodeo, while seniors have a chance to put their overall automotive skills to the test and earn scholarships and other prizes. O’Callahan, now 22, participated in both competitions and in his senior year, went on to win the local competition and earn a spot at the national competition.