Staff Report
The sixth annual Pirate Garage Car Show, a vital fundraiser for the Pirate Garage Club, will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School.
The show will feature many vehicles displayed by their local owners, as well as sales of raffle tickets, food, and Pirate merchandise.
The Pirate Garage Club supports SYHS students who are passionate about anything and everything on wheels while teaching career skills such as public relations, philanthropy and management, as well as mechanical skills.
“The kids have such a big part in putting it together, and it’s a really great family and community event,” said Mindi Christian, the high school staff member in charge of Regional Occupational (ROP) and Career Technical Education (CTE) programs.
The club also has a successful racing team that competes in the National SkillsUSA competition, which seeks to “empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens,” according to its website. Pirate mechanics have placed often in regionals and won state championships in 2016.
This success of the event is owed not only to the students but to Rob Hill, the SYVUHS auto shop instructor and Pirate Garage Club supervisor, Christian said.
“He relates to his students and their love of racing and mechanics, and he credits his own high school auto shop program with keeping him in high school and from racing on the streets,” she added.
To hear more about the Pirate Garage Club or get more information on the show, email Hill at rhill@syvuhsd.org.
