The Clinton Technical School automotive program received a major boost to hands-on learning thanks to a generous vehicle donation from Gregg Smith Ford Lincoln and Ford Motor Company.
The donation includes a 2024 Ford F-350 King Ranch equipped with the 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel engine, a truck with an MSRP of approximately $100,000. The vehicle will now serve as a long-term instructional tool for students enrolled in the Clinton Technical School automotive program, which is led by instructor Brad Stone, who has been teaching at the school since 2015.
The presentation was made by Gregg and Preston Smith of Gregg Smith Ford Lincoln, along with Denise Harries, Technical Placement Specialist for Ford Motor Company. Following the formal donation, Gregg Smith Ford Lincoln’s technical team remained on site to provide additional Ford-specific training for students, offering real-world instruction directly tied to today’s automotive industry.
The partnership that led to the donation began in 2024, when students in Brad Stone’s program voluntarily enrolled in Ford ACE online training courses. Although optional, participation and completion rates were exceptionally high, drawing attention from Ford Motor Company. The strong student engagement, combined with a long-standing working relationship between Gregg Smith Ford Lincoln and the Clinton automotive program, positioned the school as an ideal candidate for the donation.
Over the years, students from the Clinton Technical School automotive program have regularly visited Gregg Smith Ford Lincoln to job shadow dealership operations and gain firsthand experience in professional service environments. The dealership currently employs three former students from Stone’s program who went on to earn associate degrees from Metropolitan Community College, where they completed the Ford ASSET program.
This demonstrated commitment to Ford’s technician development pipeline and its Top Techs initiatives helped make Clinton Technical School a standout choice for a donation vehicle.
The donated truck has a unique history. Originally sold to a dealership in Texas, the vehicle was struck by lightning during transportation. Gregg Smith Ford Lincoln covered all expenses to relocate the truck to Clinton and completed the necessary repairs to return it to full operating condition. The dealership also provided a custom vehicle wrap highlighting Clinton Technical School and affiliated programs, ensuring the truck will promote career and technical education for years to come.
School officials and industry partners say the donation represents more than just equipment—it reflects a shared investment in workforce development, technical education, and the future of skilled automotive technicians in west-central Missouri.
