BURLINGTON — The competition is intense, but this one's about blood, sweat and gears.

        Wayne and Nick Beil of Burlington received recognition in school,not in sports or academics,but welding and auto body.

        Wayne Beil, now 20, graduated in 1999 from Conner High School. He also attended Boone County Area Technology Center.

        Two years ago, he won first place at the state level in the welding competition.

        “Then I went to nationals,” he said, where he placed in the top 25. “It was the first time anyone from Boone County Vocational went to nationals with welding.”

        Nick, 17, is preparing to enter his senior year at Conner. He also attends the technology center and studies auto body repair.

        Now he is focused on the nationals — in auto body.

        Nick won second place at the local level in the auto body category this year and went on to win first in the regional competition.

        “We were told not to get our hopes too high that Nick would take first place at the state (competition) since they try to reserve those spots for seniors in their last year of school,” said Cathy Beil, Wayne and Nick's mother.

        “We were told that Nick was very good, however, and we were proud that he was just going to compete at the state level.”

        Nick Beil, a junior at Boone County Tech, took first place in the state and will represent Kentucky at the national level in Kansas City, Mo., at the end of June.

        “Nobody was more shocked than he was to see that he had taken first place,” Mrs. Beil added. During the competitions, Nick had to show that he could write estimates, identify frame damage, perform bodywork, do welding and paint a panel.

        The competition is sponsored by SkillsUSA/VICA, a national organization serving more than 250,000 high school and college students and professional members who are enrolled in training programs in technical and service jobs.

        The organization, which has 13,000 chapters, sponsors contests allowing the high school students to show their talent.

        First the students compete at a local level, which just includes their classmates. They then compete regionally, which includes three students from each of the four technology schools in Northern Kentucky.

        “Only the first place winner from regional can go to state,” said Jim Wietholter, auto body instructor at the Boone Technology Center.

        Some technology programs in high school include welding, construction, carpentry, information technology, Web page design, business and office skills, health science, auto mechanics and auto body.

        Nearly 50 percent of high school students in state-operated technology centers are placed in a job upon graduation.

        Wayne Beil, who has won other honors for welding, now does electrical work for Arlinghaus Builders and welding projects in his spare time.

        “I like restoring stuff,” Wayne Beil said. “I built a truck and used it for tug-o-war in a truck pull.”

        “We're real excited for him,” Mr. Wietholter said of Nick. “He has some challenges ahead of him, but I expect Nick to do well. He puts his whole heart and soul into it and it paid off.

        “He's a hard worker,” he added.

        “He will make someone an excellent helper and he will own his own shop some day.”

        Nick said he also sees his future in auto body.

        “I'm planning on co-oping next year at a body shop,” he said. “If I like co-oping, I'll probably go into that full time.”

        Nick is happy with his choice to go to a technical school, instead of staying at traditional school all day.

        “It's better than regular school,” he said, adding he's learning how to do the skill instead of being told about it.

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