Worcester County Donates Retired Vehicles to High School Automotive Program

SNOW HILL, MD - On Wednesday, September 4, 2025, Worcester County officials donated four retired Chevy Tahoe SUVs to the Automotive Technology (AT) program at Worcester Technical High School (WTHS). The exchange took place outside the program's garage bays, where state, county, and school representatives gathered to hand over the keys and titles.

The Worcester County Commissioners voted unanimously to donate the high-mileage vehicles to the school's AT program. This decision was made as an alternative to selling the vehicles through an online auction, redirecting the assets to support local education and workforce development.

"While these aged vehicles may no longer meet county fleet needs, they run just fine and hold tremendous value as training resources for workforce development," said Commissioner President Ted Elder. "When you weigh the benefits, donating these vehicles just makes good sense."

By providing these surplus vehicles to the classroom, the county is supporting career-ready education at WTHS. The AT program prepares students for various pathways after graduation, including trade school, military service, or entering the automotive technology workforce.

"We are very grateful to the County Commissioners for their generous donation of surplus vehicles to the AT program," said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Annette Wallace. "This partnership provides our students with invaluable, hands-on learning opportunities to equip them with the skills and experiences needed to succeed in real-world careers within the automotive industry. Career and technology education programs like AT are a vital part of preparing our students for the future, and this donation strengthens that mission."

Commissioner Vice President Eric Fiori noted the broad benefits of the donation. "Donating these surplus vehicles is such a win for everyone," Fiori said. "The students gain valuable experience working on these late-model SUVs, our businesses benefit from a stronger pipeline of skilled workers, and our citizens know that their tax dollars are being invested wisely and stretched as far as possible."

In addition to this donation, the Worcester County Fleet Maintenance Division has established a part-time internship for WTHS students in the AT program. This gives students workplace experience as part of their graduation requirements and an entry into the automotive field.

The public can also support the AT program by donating working vehicles. For more information, contact the Worcester County Public Schools' Finance Office at (410) 632-5063.