Collision repair isn’t a field most high school students dream about, but for 17-year-old Brookelynn Meents, it has became a career path—and one that will soon take her to the national stage.
Meents recently completed her junior year at Camdenton High School, where she takes collision repair classes through the Lake Career and Technical Center. Originally, she enrolled simply to explore different hands-on career paths.
“I was just taking the class to kind of try different things,” Meents said. “I didn’t expect that I’d fall in love with it.”
Before collision repair, Meents considered engineering, architecture, and construction. But the creative side of automotive refinishing, especially painting, clicked for her.
As she gained experience and confidence in the predominantly male field, Meents said support from her instructor, Joey Praeter, and friend Tessa Adkins helped push her further.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do this all without my teacher and my friend in that class because they taught me everything I know,” Meents said.
That growth showed at the SkillsUSA state competition, where students rotate through multiple stations testing sanding, masking, painting, and interview skills. During the automotive refinishing competition, Meents said she started realizing she had a legitimate shot at winning after judges praised her painting work.
“When they told me I got first for painting, that’s when I was like, ‘Oh, maybe I have a chance at this,’” Meents said.
By the end of the competition, Meents had earned first place in automotive refinishing technology—securing a trip to the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta next week, June 1-5.
Now, she’s spending her final days preparing for the big competition. Praeter continued helping her train after state, even arranging shop time to help sharpen skills before nationals.
“I am terrified,” Meents said with a laugh. “I am so ready though.”
Her plans beyond high school are already taking shape as well. Meents has a job lined up with Brown’s Body Shop and plans to pursue additional certifications after graduation in Springfield.
For now, though, her focus is on Georgia, and making the most of an opportunity she never expected when she first signed up for the class.
