Seeing Bronze: Maryland Collision Student Places Third at SkillsUSA Nationals

by Chasidy Rae Sisk

Benjamin Kimbark has SKILLS! 

Kimbark, a 2024 graduate from the Frederick County Career and Tech Center (FCPS CTC) in Frederick, MD, showcased his talents as a collision repair technician when he took first place in the collision repair competition during the Maryland SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference, held last April. FCPS CTC Collision Instructor Philip Allen acknowledges, “One of my students won the collision repair competition at States in 2023, so I did apply a little fun pressure to Ben to make it two years in a row for us.” 

Kimbark has always been interested in the automotive world. “Cars, trucks, tractors…if it had an engine, it had my attention,” he shares. “I’ve been working on engines since before I can remember, and that’s not an exaggeration. I’ve always had a desire to learn more and do more when it comes to hands-on trades. This really started to flourish during the final years of middle school. At that time, I was working on a vast majority of small engines and lawn equipment and would help my father work on their vehicles. Once I heard about CTC and the programs they offered, I knew it was for me. Upon digging into it, the hardest part was picking the class that would benefit me the most and allow further growth of my skills, company and vast network of people.”

Kimbark credits his school and instructor for preparing him for the competition. “Let’s just say I couldn’t have done it without Mr. Allen and FCPS CTC. Mr. Allen has been a great mentor; he deserves more credit than he gets. It’s hard putting up with the same 18 students day to day for two years, but he never ceases to find a way to keep those who want to learn engaged and learning in a way they enjoy, including giving us the chance to work on students’ vehicles – from my service truck to my buddy’s Mustang. There’s really no way to prepare without hands-on experience.”

Most people experience some anxiety before a competition, and Kimbark is no different, so he acknowledges that he “felt a big wave of relief” after winning the state competition. “I can be pretty arrogant when it comes to things, but I was really just anxious on what the outcome would be, even though I had an idea as to what it would be. Once they called my name, it was a big mix of emotions, like a weight was taken off my shoulders and I had done what everyone expected me to do.”

“Ben’s attention to detail when completing any task is never in question,” Allen adds regarding Kimbark’s performance during the state competition. “His biggest obstacle – like so many of my past students – has been knowing when to stop or transition. For example, when removing a dent from a damaged panel, knowing when to stop working the metal to avoid stretching or work-hardening it in excess, then knowing when to stop sanding the filler to avoid creating a low spot. I knew if Ben could keep from overdoing it, that he would excel in competition.”

He certainly did excel at the state level, but Kimbark took things a step further when he headed to Atlanta in June to compete against the winners from other states as the Old Line State’s gold medal champion; he placed third among the national competitors, heading home with a coveted bronze medal. But Allen wasn’t surprised by his student’s success.

“With Ben’s abilities and skill level, and after his win at States, I was confident that he would perform well at the national level. Ben’s personality, high level of comprehension and problem-solving skills make him a pretty formative competitor. He had a good week in Atlanta. He didn’t let any of the distractions of working in a big environment affect his performance at all. We are all really proud of what Ben accomplished.”

For Kimbark, “The feeling when I won third was indescribable. I was up against the best of the best and had a nervous start to the competition. With that thought in my mind, I worried about where I would place. When the day came, I had to sit there for three hours while waiting for my competition to be called, worried the whole time that I wouldn’t place. Once we got closer to the top three being called, I could hardly sit still. When my name was called, I could hardly believe it – everything I had worked for had paid off! Walking backstage and seeing the contestants who sat left and right of me during the competition was even better. Once we got up on stage, a wave of accomplishment flowed over me, and before we got too far apart, I made sure to congratulate them on first and second place.”

Kimbark has always shown great potential, according to Allen. “Ben came into our two-year program with a wealth of knowledge and skills, and he was eager to learn more. Ben has the natural ability to absorb and retain what he was taught very quickly. For some students, this can lead to becoming bored in class or feeling like they’re not being challenged, but this was not the case with Ben. When he completed a task, he would either take it upon himself to help his fellow students in mastering their skills or come directly to me to ask what he could do next. 

“During his senior year, Ben attended my class during the morning hours and then went to his work study job at a local heavy-duty collision repair shop,” Allen adds. “During his evenings and weekends, Ben worked to grow his own small engine repair business. Ben is a determined and focused young man, and it was a true pleasure to have him as a student.”

Kimbark is leaving some pretty big shoes to fill, but his instructor has high hopes for an incoming student: “Ben’s younger brother, William, started my program this fall. I’m hoping he can follow in his brother’s footsteps!”

William’s big brother takes his hopes one step further. “I’m hoping he can eventually be better than me. I plan on training him throughout the years on a few vehicles my company does some work on.”

Congratulations on your victory at SkillsUSA Nationals, Benjamin Kimbark! Hammer & Dolly wishes you the best of luck as you pursue your collision career!  

Want more? Check out the October 2024 issue of Hammer & Dolly!