Corpus Christi, TX — Pine Tree High School senior Aiden Alvey recently earned 3rd place in the state of Texas at the 2025 SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference, competing in the highly competitive Maintenance and Light Repair (MLR) category. The event, held in Corpus Christi, brought together the top career and technical education (CTE) students from across Texas, representing schools both large and small.
Aiden’s 3rd place finish earned him the Bronze Medal in the MLR competition — a contest designed to test students’ technical ability, diagnostic skills, and mechanical knowledge in real-world automotive repair scenarios.
“This is a major accomplishment for Aiden as well as a great example of what our program represents,” said Bryan Brown, Automotive Instructor at Pine Tree High School. “The Maintenance and Light Repair contest is one of the toughest areas because it covers such a wide range of automotive systems and requires both speed and accuracy under pressure.”
In addition to his 3rd place medal, Aiden also earned several other top honors at this year’s state contest, including:
Gold Medal in the Engine Performance Technical Test
Blue Superior State Ribbon and Best of Show recognition for his Automatic Transmission Rebuild project
Aiden’s success comes after years of dedication to the Automotive Technology program at Pine Tree High School, where he has developed industry-ready skills through hands-on learning and real-world applications. He also earned multiple certifications while in school, such as the MACs 609 and ASE Entry Level credentials.
“The skills, hard work, and dedication learned in the last few years gave him the confidence to push his comfort zone and accelerate way past his comfort level,” said Brown.
SkillsUSA is a national organization that provides students with opportunities to develop personal, workplace, and technical skills grounded in academics. The State Leadership and Skills Conference is the culminating event for Texas students each year, with thousands of students competing in a variety of technical, leadership, and trade-related contests.
As Aiden prepares for graduation this spring, he plans to pursue a technical degree from Texas State Technical College — bringing with him not only his technical skills but also the confidence and experience gained through competing at the highest level in SkillsUSA.