Rancho Cielo students to showcase restored Rolls-Royce at Concours d’Elegance
SALINAS, Calif. —
Students at Rancho Cielo’s automotive restoration program are participating in Car Week events, including presenting a restored Rolls-Royce at the prestigious Concours d’Elegance on Sunday.
The program teaches underserved youth how to repair, restore, and maintain cars, providing them with valuable skills and opportunities.
In preparation for the event, the students brought the Rolls-Royce into the shop, and two students, Aaron Corea and Max Perez, will be part of the team presenting the car.
“We do have some background. We had to study for the event itself. We have to give them some information about the car before the actual presentation,” Perez said.
“Are you nervous?” asked Erin Clark.
“Yeah, I’m nervous,” Corea said.
The Rolls-Royce belongs to board member Bill Hayward, who purchased and restored the car with Rancho Cielo students in mind. Hayward is a strong supporter of the program and believes the education offered at Rancho Cielo can change lives.
“If they can spend half the time in the classroom and half the time doing something they love, now the math makes sense. The learning makes sense. They do well in class now and doing the stuff that is hands-on, plus they work as a team. They have deadlines, they make things happen, and so they gain camaraderie,” Hayward said.
The automotive restoration program, created a few years ago, has grown significantly. While some students may pursue entry-level positions restoring historic cars, most will find careers in traditional automotive fields.
Instructors emphasize that the most important outcome is helping students realize they have options.
“Finding what they enjoy, that’s why we have so much. We have the automotive side, we got the body side, we got the fabrication side, and if they find that niche, they can make a career out of it,” Marcus Evans, lead instructor for the program, said.
The Rolls-Royce will participate in the Tour d’Elegance tomorrow, with Aaron and Max joining the ride. On Sunday, they will shine the car up and present it at the Concours d’Elegance.
“We’re going to be on the green following the judges. We’re also going to be presenting the Rolls-Royce, which is also a great opportunity,” Perez said.
The program has an ambitious goal to build and fully restore a car within three years and enter it in the Concours d’Elegance.