On March 25, twenty-three students representing the Macon Career and Technical Education Chapter of SkillsUSA headed to the 2010 Missouri State Championships. The students competed in Advertising Design, Automotive Technology, Carpentry, Culinary Arts, Health Occupations Quiz Bowl, Job Skill Demonstration, Graphic Communications, Public Speaking, Screen Printing, SkillsUSA Quiz Bowl, State T-Shirt Design and State Pin Design.
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled work force. SkillsUSA helps each student excel. Throughout the year students prepare to go to the world of work by developing their hands-on and leadership skills. This is the culminating event for the year which decides who goes on to the National SkillsUSA Conference. This year’s State Conference was the largest ever held with over 2,400 participants and each contest the students competed in had at least 20 competitors.
Of the twenty-three contestants representing the Macon Area Career and Technology Center five of them medaled in their event. Desmond Lucas received a bronze medal in Graphic Communications, Kristi Woodson received silver for Public Speaking, Garth Perry received a third place plaque for State T-Shirt Design, Miles Hutcherson received a gold medal for Carpentry and Rachel Rainey received a first place plaque for State Pin Design. Rachel and Miles will be attending the National SkillsUSA Conference in Kansas City this summer.
The National Conference will host over 4,000 competitors during the last full week of June. The event is open to the public where companies and schools from all over the country come to show off their latest technology and recruit students to work or higher education. The public is even invited to observe the competitions on Wednesday and Thursday (June 23 and 24) and may purchase tickets to the Opening and Closing Ceremonies on Monday and Friday (June 21 and 26). There are many exciting events during the week including a raffle for a Harley-Davidson Motorcycle donated by Harley and painted on site by a member of Orange County Choppers. Many students will leave will job offers from the event and a life long memory of being a Champion at Work.
