Local Teen Needs Votes For Video Contest

Jolene Loya, 17, of Desert Mirage High School in Thermal is one of eight finalists in a national video contest by the Universal Technical Institute Foundation.

The competition was open to high school teens interested in the automotive, motorcycle, diesel, collision repair, marine or NASCAR industries, according to Sue Cardillo, a spokeswoman for the foundation.

She is competing for a $25,000, $10,000 or $5,000 scholarship at any UTI campus, according to Cardillo.

Loya's video is on Facebook and can be voted on until Tuesday, Jan. 17.

In the video, she said that she would like to be the first member of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians to become a technician.

"I've wanted to be a mechanic since I was about 10 years old, but I was told it wasn't for girls and it was a male-dominated occupation and I wouldn't succeed," Loya said.

Veronica Meury, vice president and executive director of the UTI Foundation, said the contest gives students a jump start on achieving their dreams.

"The video submissions this year were outstanding, and students showed an enormous amount of creativity and enthusiasm," Meury said.

Visit http://facebook.com/UTIFoundation for more information, including voting rules and instructions.