Each year, Lake Charles Toyota contributes a scholarship to the SOWELA School of Transportation to help prospective students chase their dreams.

Lake Charles Toyota, located in Lake Charles, La., has given more than $50,000 toward the local technical community college over the past nine years.

That charitable work continued recently, as Lake Charles Toyota said in late December it presented a check for a $5,000 scholarship to the school.

This scholarship provides an opportunity for low- to moderate-income students enrolled in the automotive maintenance technology program at the SOWELA School of Transportation to pursue an automotive-industry career.

The two-year program provides students with training and skills to become certified in the automotive industry.

According to Lake Charles Toyota, many of the program’s graduates become mechanics or repair mechanics. Or, they might choose to enter other auto industry specialized fields.

The dealership said the program’s graduates will be immediately employable at local dealerships. They will also be employable at automotive maintenance and repair companies.

Almost 15% of Lake Charles Toyota’s Service Center employees are graduates of the SOWELA automotive maintenance technology program.