By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD — Recent Safford High School grad Dallin McBride didn’t just represent Arizona on the national stage last week — he made history.
Returning from the massive SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference held June 1–5 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, McBride brought home the bronze medal in the highly competitive Automotive Service Technology Division.
Finishing third out of approximately 50 elite contestants—each the reigning gold medalist from their respective state—McBride’s podium finish appears to be a historic first. Records indicate that no student from Arizona has ever medaled in this specific, rigorous automotive contest before, according to Ed Taylor, Safford’s Automotive Program instructor.
A Historic Achievement on a Massive Stage
The national competition is a grueling test of skill, speed, and precision, taking place in a venue that spans over 1.79 million square feet. For McBride, navigating the high-stakes environment alongside the best young technicians in the country was the culmination of years of hard work.
“He does a great job,” Taylor said prior to the trip. “He’ll do great at whatever he chooses to do because he has that kind of a go-and-do attitude.”
That attitude clearly paid off in Atlanta. McBride’s third-place finish further cements the Safford Automotive Program’s reputation as a powerhouse. While the school has produced four state champions over the years — including Emitt Post (2019), Krystopher Tackett (2022), and Hugh Larson (2024) — McBride is the first to translate that state glory into a national medal.
What’s Next for the Champ
McBride’s historic run caps off an incredible senior year, which also earned him a $10,000 scholarship to the Universal Technical Institute (UTI) and specialized advanced training opportunities at their Phoenix campus.
However, his immediate next steps will take him quite a distance from the automotive bay. McBride plans to serve a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Mexico, where he will learn to speak Spanish.
Upon his return, the national bronze medalist will have some big decisions to make. He plans to utilize his UTI scholarship or pursue a welding future through the GIFT program at Eastern Arizona College (EAC). Ultimately, McBride aims to combine his talents to achieve a lifelong dream: opening his own custom fabrication, welding, and automotive repair shop.
With a national medal now added to his resume, those dreams are well on their way to becoming reality.
