I am proud to support Career and Technical Education (CTE) in Roanoke City Public Schools, and I invite you to join me in investing in our future.

As CEO of Magic City Auto Group and a Patrick Henry High School graduate and former marketing student myself, I care about ensuring our students and our community thrive.

Magic City Auto Group began in Roanoke in 1938 as a Ford dealership in downtown Roanoke on Salem Avenue. Now in our 84th year of business, I lead the company as our 4th generation owner of the family business. Magic City has grown over the past several years to now have five locations representing 10 brands with additional dealerships in Bedford, Covington, and Lexington.

Magic City first became involved with the Roanoke Technical Education Center at Roanoke City Public Schools nearly 10 years ago. Since then, we've encouraged students to visit our facility and follow along with a technician to see what a "day in the life” is like, hired several former students to much success, and partnered with Ford to donate a Ford Fiesta to ROTEC so students could gain experience working on a more modern gas engine vehicle.

Many students don't realize that a career in automotive doesn't require a college degree and it can be very rewarding, both your time and financially. Top technicians can make over $100,000 per year.

In today's automotive world, as electric vehicles become more and more popular, the "mechanic" you picture is actually quite different in the future — they're almost software engineers who don't even turn a wrench. With electric vehicles, there is no engine or transmission, so that eliminates oil changes and most fluids in the vehicle. That means you're working with a computer linked to the car to diagnose problems on the vehicle.

Students who take CTE courses graduate high school with real-life experience, and your support ensures they can continue to gain the experience necessary to stay on the cutting edge.