INSIDE OUR SCHOOLS
(L – R) Wing Ho, LA Chinatown Firecracker Board Member; Andy Pan, Alhambra HS; Tyler Minohara, Mark Keppel HS; Danny Tran, San Gabriel HS; Margaret Lee, Sherwood Lee’s widow; and Jim Horton, Auto Technology Instructor & SkillsUSA Advisor (Photo – Natalie Tee-Gaither)
The Alhambra Unified School District held its 54th Annual Automotive Technicians’ Awards Night on May 11, 2023, celebrating the achievements of high school seniors in the Automotive Technology programs at Alhambra, Mark Keppel, and San Gabriel High Schools.
By News Desk
As part of the festivities, the Second Annual Sherwood Lee Memorial Fund established by the Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker Run Committee & Family of Sherwood Lee presented one student from each of the AUSD High Schools with a $500 scholarship and a certificate proclaiming them as the Sherwood Lee Outstanding Automotive Students of the Year.
Margaret Lee, Sherwood Lee’s widow, shared Sherwood’s passion for restoring cars and teaching automotive class. The Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker Run Committee honors Sherwood Lee who was not only a beloved long-time auto mechanics teacher at San Gabriel High School but was also a founding member and race director of the annual Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker Run.
This year’s Sherwood Lee Memorial Fund Scholarships were awarded to:
- Quyen “Andy” Quoc Pan from Alhambra High School
- Tyler Minohara from Mark Keppel High School
- Danny Tran from San Gabriel High School.
Quyen “Andy” Quoc Pan plans to attend Rio Hondo Community College. He has participated in an internship at a Harley Davidson Customization Shop and is interested in becoming an auto technician. According to Pan, “I love learning about the intricacy and mechanism of machines, and as a mechanic I am about to pursue my fascination as well as help out other people with their problems.”
Tyler Minohara plans to attend Rio Hondo Community College to acquire his bachelor’s degree in automotive technology. He has obtained entry level ASE Certification for Brakes, Maintenance and Light Repair, Automobile Service Technology, Manual DriveTrain and Axles, and Automatic Transmission and Transaxle (a total of 9 of 10 certifications), as well as all data certification, and Slide Caliper Measurement Certification. According to Minohara “The importance of gaining automotive skills is that we can understand how the car works and we will be able to fix your car.
Danny Tran will be attending CalState University LA. According to Tran, “I am interested in electrical engineering because it is the future of humanity and I wish to be a part of that foreseeable vision that is to come. I want to contribute to finding a way to save the planet by moving from diesel, gasoline, and other fossil fuels to electricity.”
> For more information on the Sherwood Lee Memorial Fund and the Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker which will celebrate 46 years with its upcoming February 2024 events, visit this link.
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