Pub. 1 2013 Issue 4

Spring Issue 2013 15 several hours every day preparing for New York. “We practice many days after school, on weekends, evenings, our whole spring break, and a lot of Saturdays and Sundays,” said Saavedra. “I’ve been fortunate to have a good rapport with the dealers in the area, who have allowed us to keep the practice car on campus for however long we need it.” Students are trained in all ASE areas, breaks, suspension, engine performance and repair, manual and automatic transmission, and so on. McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP blends seasoned attorneys and advisors to convert changes and challenges into opportunities and solutions for our clients. With more than 575 attorneys and public policy advisors in 13 offices and 18 practices, we serve local, regional, national and international clients, Fortune 500 corporations, private corporations, governmental agencies, non- profits, and high net worth individuals. We define our success by efficiently meeting our clients’ goals with our firm’s strong foundation and a unique perspective. We are innovative. We are strategic. We are tactical. Albany l Atlanta l Brussels l Denver l Los Angeles l New York Orange County l Rancho Santa Fe l San Diego l San Francisco l Washington, DC mckennalong.com “I always try to get a former student that is a technician for whatever car we select,” said Saavedra.“I had one student from the first year I taught, come back 26 years later to help. He is now a master tech at Nissan.” From the beginning, the team has been sponsored by NCDA. Mike Jordan, retired automotive teacher from Ramona High, cre- ated the first RamonaHigh automotive teamto compete in 1996, inwhich they took 7th place. “Our school was heavily involved in auto- motive competitions around the county at the time, so we decided we were ready for the national competition,” said Jordan. “Our students were shadowing and doing internships and getting careers started at many different dealerships.” Students learn many lessons while preparing for the National Competition, not only automotive skills, but how to become successful citizens. “Local, state or national competition of any type sharpens the sharpest people and it can teach life lessons to those who truly apply themselves,” said Axford.