Students earn honors at MITES competition
May 28, 2015
RHS has been participating in Michigan Industrial and Technology Education Society (MITES) for 87 years, a competition for clay models. Two students from the auto shop class displayed outstanding performances in the competition. Senior Austin Marsili, who built a clay model of a 1969 Pontiac GTO, won the grand prize at regionals at Dakota High School, then moved on to states at Saginaw Valley State University, where he won sixth place. Freshman Miranda Rumfelt won first place at regionals before moving on to states. She won first place, most creative, and a $10,000 scholarship.
Rumfelt said that she did not expect to earn such a high honor for her clay model of a 1970 AMX, thinking at first that an honorable mention would be in her sights.
“I just started freaking out. I was just really happy; I was flabbergasted,” Rumfelt said regarding her win.
Rumfelt first found interest in clay models and cars because of her father. Her dad took her down to the auto shop area during the eighth grade orientation. Joseph Tregembo Jr., auto shop teacher, informed Rumfelt that there were classes where she could put her love for drawing and cars to use. She ended up going every Thursday, starting with miniature clay models, but eventually working her way making full-sized car models.