Wheelers Welcomes Mid-State College Camp Students for a Hands-On Auto Body Experience

Wheelers MSTC Camp

Wheelers Welcomes Mid-State College Camp Students for a Hands-On Auto Body Experience

There’s nothing quite like seeing a student discover a new skill for the first time.

Wheelers Family Auto Group recently had the opportunity to welcome middle school students from Mid-State Technical College’s College Camp 2026 for a hands-on look at the auto body industry. The camp, held at Mid-State’s Wisconsin Rapids Campus, gives students entering grades 6 through 8 the chance to explore local career opportunities through interactive workshops.

For our team, it was the perfect opportunity to show students that automotive careers are creative, technical, rewarding, and available right here in central Wisconsin.

“I’ve grown up in this industry, and I know the awesome careers that are available in it,” said Mary Jo Wheeler of Wheelers Family Auto Group. “A lot of people haven’t been exposed to those opportunities, so we need to show students what we do.”

Painting, Prepping, and Plenty of Creativity

During the Wheelers session, students got a real taste of auto collision repair and refinishing by painting their own skateboard blanks.

Each student had the chance to work through steps inspired by the same process used in a professional auto body environment. The skateboards were prepped, masked, taped, painted with patriotic stencils, and baked, giving students a hands-on look at how skill, precision, and creativity come together in the automotive world.

And yes, every student got to put a spray gun in their hands.

The patriotic designs were also a fun way to celebrate the upcoming 250th birthday of the United States, while giving students a project they could take pride in.

Building Career Awareness Close to Home

At Wheelers, we believe it is important for young people to see the opportunities that exist right here in their own communities.

“Our number one export is our kids,” Wheeler said. “We need to keep them here by showing them the awesome career opportunities we have in central Wisconsin.”

The automotive industry offers many career paths, from service and collision repair to sales, parts, management, customer care, and more. Events like College Camp help students connect the dots between what they enjoy doing and the careers they may want to explore in the future.

For Wheelers, this session was about more than painting skateboards. It was about opening a door.

Thank You to Our Community Partners

Programs like this are possible because of local schools, sponsors, and businesses working together to support the next generation.

Wheelers would like to thank Mid-State Technical College for hosting College Camp and inviting our team to be part of the experience. We also want to recognize the local sponsors and partners who helped make the day possible.”

Interested in Automotive Careers?

Students and families interested in learning more about automotive, auto body, or technical career opportunities are encouraged to connect with Mid-State Technical College or reach out to the Wheelers team.

On behalf of Wheelers Family Auto Group, thank you to the students, families, instructors, sponsors, and community partners who made this experience so memorable. We’re proud to support career exploration in central Wisconsin and grateful for the opportunity to help students see what their future could look like close to home.

For more than 60 years, Wheelers has been proud to serve the friends and families of central Wisconsin, and we’re excited to continue investing in the people who will shape its future.