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CREF OPENS APPLICATIONS FOR 2022 SCHOOL BENCHMARK GRANTS AND STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
NATIONAL NEWS
The ongoing technician shortage poses a problem for many collision repair facilities around the country, and most can agree that the resolution begins with the youth who will become the industry’s future. Unfortunately, many schools’ collision programs are underfunded, while students struggle to pay post-secondary tuition.
The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) seeks to alleviate some of those burdens by facilitating the industry’s generosity in the form of its Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark Grants as well as its Student Scholarship awards.
In 2021, CREF awarded $329,000 in grants to over 80 schools, recognizing those programs that excel at educating students, but which require additional financial assistance due to constrained school budgets, providing funds to purchase the tools, equipment and supplies necessary to enhance their students’ learning experience and elevate the caliber of their graduates.
The 2021 Student Scholarships benefitted 30 students with more than $100,000 awarded in financial assistance to ensure those students are able to continue their education, preparing them to pursue a successful career in body shops around the country.
Applications for CREF’s 2022 School Benchmark Grants and Student Scholarships are now open, with a deadline of March 2, 2022.
To apply for a Benchmark Grant or Student Scholarship, or to learn more about supporting CREF’s efforts to promote the industry to future generations, visit CREF online at CollisionEducationFoundation.org. H&D
From top: Past Collision Repair Education Foundation grant winners include Thomas A Edison Career and Technical Education High School (Jamaica, NY), and Northwest High School (Clarksville, TN)
