SHAUN KITTRELL
FOLLOW THE JOURNEY ON INSTAGRAMStudent builds · Industry access · Race weekends@silvervalley.autoFOLLOW ↗

AUTOMOTIVE EDUCATOR · ULTRA4 NEXT · CLASS 11

Building Skills.
Creating Opportunity.

A teacher, a student-built race program, and a growing pathway from the classroom to the workforce.

Explore the storyPartner with us
Silver Valley High School Class 11 race car 1125 competing under the lights
STUDENT-BUILT · SILVER VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
1969 VW BEETLECLASS 11 · YERMO, CALIFORNIA
2023CTE Teacher
of the Year
2024VVC Automotive
Competition Champions
2025Automotive Pathway
of the Year
2026Bosch Teacher
Appreciation Award

EDUCATOR RECOGNITION · 2026

Bosch Teacher Appreciation Award.

Shaun has been selected as a Bosch Teacher Appreciation Award recipient, recognizing his outstanding work with students and the opportunities being built through Silver Valley Automotive.

Tentative school celebrationMonday, September 14, 2026 · 10:40 a.m.

Bosch representatives plan to present a large ceremonial check representing the $1,000 Teacher Appreciation Award Shaun has already received. Shaun will share remarks, with potential interviews and local media coverage following the presentation.

START HERE · THE ULTRA4 NEXT STORY

A classroom built to open doors.

This short film follows Shaun and the students at Slow Ride Garage—and shows how real projects, trusted mentors, and industry access can turn curiosity into a career path.

Film by Sylvania Off-RoadFeaturing Shaun Kittrell and Ultra4 Next students
Explore Ultra4 Next ↗
Shaun Kittrell and Silver Valley High School automotive students holding the Victor Valley College Annual High School Automotive Competition champions trophy
Left to right: Teacher Shaun Kittrell; Students Jesse Dillow, Issac Mesa, Adrian Holguin, Havanna Brown, and Eddie Santos.

2024 · TEAM ACHIEVEMENT

VVC Automotive Competition Champions.

Silver Valley students brought their classroom skills to Victor Valley College and won the Annual High School Automotive Competition—earning their place on the championship trophy.

THE STORY

A small school with a big-shop mindset.

Ray Currie giving Ultra4 Next students a tour of Currie Enterprises
Ray Currie personally gave students an inside tour of Currie Enterprises, connecting the work on the shop floor to real automotive careers.

Shaun Kittrell left the collision-repair industry for the classroom with one goal: make automotive education feel real enough that students could see a future in it.

At Silver Valley High School in Yermo, California, that idea grew into an award-winning automotive pathway, a student-built Class 11 race car, and Ultra4 Next ↗—an expanding bridge between young people and the employers who need their skills.

“Making students employable.”— Shaun Kittrell. What began as his classroom standard became the motto of Ultra4 Next ↗.

THE PROGRAMS

Three platforms.
One purpose.

Every experience is designed to make technical careers more visible, exciting, and attainable.

Students building technical skills at the Ultra4 Next Lab
01

EDUCATION

Silver Valley Automotive

Auto I and Auto II combine shop safety, maintenance, diagnostics, fabrication, welding, powder coating, and professional habits with real vehicles and real expectations.

Ultra4 Next students touring Eibach Springs
02

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Ultra4 Next ↗

Students train beside professionals, tour employers, repair vehicles at King of the Hammers, and explore automotive, welding, engineering, media, public safety, and more.

Visit Ultra4 Next ↗
Class 11 race car 1125 competing at King of the Hammers
03

MOTORSPORTS

Class 11 · Car 1125

Students built and maintain a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle. Competition turns teamwork, preparation, fabrication, communication, and problem-solving into something students can feel.

THE CHALLENGE WE’RE SOLVING

“America doesn’t have a shortage of young people interested in skilled trades. It has a shortage of opportunities that make those trades visible, exciting, and attainable.”
— Shaun Kittrell
Ultra4 Next students and mentors during an industry tour at Monster Energy

INDUSTRY TOURS · ULTRA4 NEXT LAB

Access changes what students believe is possible.

At Monster Energy, CFO Tom Kelly spoke with students about his path into leadership and the skills, habits, and attitude it takes to be employable today. At the Ultra4 Next Lab, those industry lessons become hands-on practice, mentoring, and real responsibility.

Learn more about Ultra4 Next ↗

THE 2026 RACE LOG

1125

Every lap becomes a lesson.

Racing gives students a deadline, a standard, and a reason to trust the preparation behind the work.

Car 1125 racing through the dust at King of the Hammers

WHY IT MATTERS

Opportunity creates momentum.

Partners do more than put a logo on a car. They put tools in students’ hands, professionals in front of them, and credible career paths within reach.

Silver Valley High School students seeing the yellow Volkswagen Beetle donated by Donny Donovan of Slow Ride Garage
The beginning: students meet the yellow Beetle that would be rebuilt into Silver Valley’s Class 11 race car.

FOUNDING PARTNER · THE ORIGIN OF CAR 1125

The donation that put Silver Valley on the starting line.

Silver Valley would not be racing Class 11 without Donny Donovan and Slow Ride Garage. Donny donated the yellow Volkswagen Beetle that became the foundation of car 1125—giving students a real vehicle to strip, rebuild, maintain, and prepare for competition.

That act of trust transformed an old Bug into a student-built race program. It gave the class a shared goal, opened the door to King of the Hammers, and created the platform that continues to connect students with the off-road industry.

Donny’s support continues through donations of car parts and by welcoming Silver Valley as part of the Slow Ride Garage race team. At the races, students pit alongside the Slow Ride crew and learn directly from experienced professionals in real race conditions.

The donationVolkswagen Beetle → Class 11 race car 1125
Follow Slow Ride Garage ↗Shop Slow Ride ↗
Theresa Contreras teaching Ultra4 Next students custom hand pinstriping at the Ultra4 Next Lab

MENTOR SPOTLIGHT · CUSTOM HAND PINSTRIPING

Learning alongside Theresa “T” Contreras.

At the Ultra4 Next Lab, Theresa led students through hands-on lessons in custom hand pinstriping—turning design, paint control, precision, and patience into skills they could practice for themselves.

Theresa is an award-winning automotive designer, fabricator, machinist, custom painter, builder, and off-road racer. She is the co-founder of BAJA FORGED and Real Deal Revolution, a nonprofit working to change perceptions of skilled trades and expand opportunities for women and young people. She also co-drove with Jessi Combs in Ultra4 and at King of the Hammers.

Meet Theresa Contreras ↗Explore Real Deal Revolution ↗
Emme Hall working with Silver Valley High School students to install race-media equipment in car 1125
Emme Hall works beside Silver Valley students as they prepare car 1125 to capture and share the King of the Hammers experience.

INDUSTRY MENTOR · RACE-MEDIA TECHNOLOGY

Helping students bring the race home.

Automotive journalist and accomplished off-road racer Emme Hall came to Silver Valley High School to show students how to install Starlink with GoPro cameras in car 1125.

With the system donated by Star Stream, that installation allowed the team to transmit a live feed from the King of the Hammers race. Students saw how connectivity, camera placement, preparation, and storytelling work together to bring an experience in the desert to an audience watching from anywhere.

Technology partnerStar Stream · Live race connectivity and streaming system
Follow Emme on Instagram ↗Read and watch Emme at Edmunds ↗Explore Star Stream ↗

REAL RACE WORK · ULTRA4 NEXT LAB

A professional trophy truck became the classroom.

In 2025, students worked on a trophy truck belonging to Eric Wilson of Sublime at the Ultra4 Next Lab. The project put them beside an authentic off-road race vehicle, where the details, expectations, and consequences of the work were real.

Experiences like this turn shop skills into professional habits. Students learn to communicate, work carefully around high-performance systems, solve problems as a team, and understand why preparation matters long before a vehicle reaches the course.

What access createsHands-on experience with a professional-level off-road race vehicle
Ultra4 Next students working on Eric Wilson’s bright orange trophy truck at the Ultra4 Next Lab
Students work directly on Eric Wilson’s trophy truck at the Ultra4 Next Lab in 2025.

INDUSTRY RECOGNITION · STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

A personal message for Jacob Ternes.

Off-road racer Blake Wilkey recorded a personal congratulations for Jacob Ternes, Silver Valley High School’s 2026 CTE Automotive Student of the Year.

It is a small moment with a big message: when students commit to the work, the industry they hope to enter can see them—and celebrate what they are becoming.

2026 CTE Automotive Student of the YearJacob Ternes · Silver Valley High School
Follow Blake Wilkey ↗Visit Shreddy Lyfe ↗
Blake Wilkey congratulates Jacob Ternes on his 2026 student recognition.
25th → 9thKing of the Hammers debut
18 / 35Freedom Cup weekend result
Real workShop, race, repair, media, and employer exposure

WATCH THE STORY

Classroom. Industry. Competition.

Student-produced stories connect the classroom to employers, while official race coverage shows those skills being tested at King of the Hammers and Glen Helen.

KING OF THE HAMMERS

2026 Class 11 Showdown

The official race feed, cued to the Class 11 action and car 1125’s top-10 finish.

GLEN HELEN · DAY ONE

Freedom Cup · Saturday

The official King of the Hammers broadcast from the first day at Glen Helen Raceway.

GLEN HELEN · DAY TWO

Freedom Cup · Sunday

The official King of the Hammers broadcast from the second day at Glen Helen Raceway.

Student media credit

Original Ultra4 Next program videos featured here were created by Jason Miller and his students. Sylvania Off-Road produced the opening film; podcast and official race broadcasts remain credited to their respective publishers.

MEDIA & RECOGNITION

The story is getting noticed.

Victorville Daily Press headline and byline for its feature about Silver Valley students making King of the Hammers history
Car 1125 pictured in the Victorville Daily Press feature

FEATURE STORY · FEB. 19, 2026

Victorville Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz tells how Silver Valley students built a Class 11 Beetle and made King of the Hammers history.

Read the complete article ↗
FEATURE STORYThese High Desert students just made King of the Hammers historyVictorville Daily Press / Yahoo Sports↗PODCAST + VIDEOHe Gets Kids into Motorsports Through Education — Shaun KittrellOur Day Off Podcast · Matt Zeiler↗OFFICIAL RESULTS2026 Sylvania Offroad Class 11 Showdown — 9th placeKing of the Hammers↗EDUCATION FEATUREVictor Valley College Hosts High School Automotive CompetitionAdvanced Transportation & Logistics↗OFFICIAL RESULTS2026 American Rentals Freedom Cup — 18th in Class 11M.O.R.E.↗

FOLLOW THE WORK IN REAL TIME

Follow the journey:
@silvervalley.auto

Shop projects, student accomplishments, behind-the-scenes race preparation, and every new mile of the Class 11 story.

Follow @silvervalley.auto↗
@silvervalley.autoSilver Valley AutomotiveView profile ↗
Car 1125 racing in the desertStudent work at the Ultra4 Next LabUltra4 Next students on an industry tourSilver Valley Automotive students celebrating their VVC competition winStudents learning from Ray CurrieCar 1125 competing on track
PROFILE PREVIEWStudent work · Industry tours · Race weekends

THE JOURNEY

Built one opportunity at a time.

2017

Building the pathway

Auto I and Auto II take root at Silver Valley High School, beginning the rebuild of a small desert-school automotive program.

2020

First competition. First podium.

Silver Valley entered its first-ever automotive competition at Victor Valley College—VVC’s second annual event—and finished 3rd. The program has earned a podium finish at every VVC competition it has entered since.

2023

CTE Teacher of the Year

Mountain Desert Career Pathways recognizes Shaun for expanding opportunity and transforming the automotive facility.

2024

VVC Competition Champions

Silver Valley Automotive wins Victor Valley College’s Annual High School Automotive Competition.

2025

Pathway of the Year

Silver Valley Automotive earns regional recognition as the program grows into fabrication, industry partnerships, and motorsports.

2026

Bosch Teacher Appreciation Award

Bosch selects Shaun as a Teacher Appreciation Award recipient for his outstanding work creating meaningful opportunities for students.

2026

History at King of the Hammers

The student-built Class 11 Beetle starts 25th and finishes 9th on one of off-road racing’s biggest stages.

2026

A hard-earned Glen Helen finish

Car 1125 runs as high as 9th at the M.O.R.E. Freedom Cup and records an official 18th-place weekend finish in a 35-car Class 11 field.

PARTNER WITH THE PROGRAM

Build the next opportunity.

There is no one-size-fits-all sponsorship package here. We begin with what your company can offer and build a partnership that gives students meaningful access to equipment, experiences, professionals, and career pathways.

One conversation can put a tool in a student’s hand—or a career within reach.
01

Financial sponsorship

Help cover the costs that turn ambitious ideas into real student experiences, from program development to race preparation.

02

Parts, tools & equipment

Put current, industry-relevant resources in the shop so students can learn on the equipment they will encounter in the workforce.

03

Race & student travel

Support transportation, entry costs, lodging, meals, safety needs, and the logistics required to bring students beyond the classroom.

04

Tours, internships & mentors

Let students see the industry from the inside, learn directly from professionals, and begin building relationships that can shape their futures.

05

Guest speakers

Share your career path, lessons learned, and what employers expect today—giving students direct access to voices from the industry.

START A CONVERSATION

Tell us how you would like to get involved.

A useful partnership can start with funding, a donated component, a facility tour, professional advice, an internship, or an idea we have not considered yet. Let’s find the version that makes sense for your organization and the students.

Prefer to email directly?skittrell@svusdk12.net ↗

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