SkillsUSA State Championship
2007 Georgia Postsecondary SkillsUSA Championships Highlights
Written by Jane Childers, Criminal Justice student & Reporter SkillsUSA
The 2007 Georgia Postsecondary SkillsUSA Championships is a showcase of Technical College students demonstrating quality through participation in Leadership, Health Occupations, Trade and Industrial and Technical contests. In the 2007 Georgia Postsecondary SkillsUSA Championships we see first-hand contestants competing for the right to represent the State of Georgia in the National SkillsUSA Championships scheduled for June 25-30, 2007 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Purpose of Georgia Postsecondary SkillsUSA
- To unite in a common bond all students enrolled in trade, technical and health occupations education.
- To develop leadership abilities through participation in educational, vocational, civic, recreational and social activities.
- To foster a deep respect for the dignity of work.
- To assist students to attain a purposeful life.
- To create enthusiasm for learning.
- To promote high standards in trade ethics, workmanship, scholarship and safety.
- To develop the ability of students to plan together, organize and carry out worthy activities and projects through use of the democratic process.
- To foster a wholesome understanding of the functions of labor and management organizations and recognition of their mutual interdependence.
- To create among students, faculty members, patrons of the colleges, and persons of business and labor a sincere interest in and esteem for trade, technical and health occupations education.
- To develop patriotism through a knowledge of our Nations heritage and the practice of democracy.
Our 2006-2007 State SkillsUSA Officer Team
President--Patricia Reed Davenport-- Atlanta Technical College
Vice President--Kory Kemp-- Swainsboro Technical College
Parliamentarian--David Paige-Bey-- Atlanta Technical College
Reporter/Historian--Alexander Callis-- Atlanta Technical College
These State Officers have done an outstanding job in representing Georgia SkillsUSA. They will be missed by everyone, but we believe the new State Officers will do just as great in their new positions.
Dr. Randal Peters, President of Heart of Georgia Technical College, and staff hosted the 2007 Georgia Postsecondary SkillsUSA Championships Competition.
The students and faculty from Moultrie Technical College that went to the 2007 Georgia Postsecondary SkillsUSA State Competition from left to right back to front row: Brad Brooker-Carpentry student; Mr. Jason Edwards-Construction Trades instructor & SkillsUSA Advisor; Christopher Ziegler-Plumbing student and SkillsUSA Parliamentarian for the MTC Chapter; Sh annon Green-Medical Assisting student and SkillsUSA President for the MTC Chapter; David Butler-Carpentry student; Gehu Ponce-Residential Wiring student; Manuel Carrichi-Automotive Technology student; Jane Childers-Criminal Justice student & SkillsUSA Reporter for the MTC and Mrs. Robin Kern- Medical Assisting instructor. Not pictured are: Mr. Jerry Smith-Director of Instructional Services; Mr. Lynn T anner-Automotive Technology instructor & State SkillsUSA Advisor; Mr. Bill Giles-Welding Technology instructor; John Arnold-Welding student, and Brian Curp and Rick Helms both Mechatronics students.
Once we arrived at The Heart of Georgia Technical College in Dublin, Georgia on Friday, April 20, 2007, registration started at 10:00 am-2:00 pm. From 2:30 pm-5:00 pm there was Mandatory Orientation of Health, Trade, Industrial and Technical Contestants in Contest Areas. Written Technical Knowledge exams and the oral assessments for all contestants in the Saturday contests followed by an orientation to the contest facilities were given. From 1:00 pm-5:00 pm there was State Officer Campaigning going on. Each contestant sat up displays on the display tables representing them and their program and what would make them a great State Officer if elected. From 2:00 pm-3:00 pm there was an Advisors meeting. From 5:00 pm-7:00 pm everyone had free time to enjoy themselves and relieve some of the stress from the competitions. From 8: pm-9:30 pm was the Opening General Session in DuBose Porter Center at The Heart of Georgia Technical College. From 9:30 pm-10:00 pm was the State Officers Elections/Delegate Assembly to elect the new officers for the 2007-2008 State SkillsUSA Officer Team.
The Opening Ceremony and Emblem Ceremony on Friday night were presided over by Patricia Reed Davenport, SkillsUSA State Officer President. The Laurens County Fire Department Color Guard gave the Presentation of Colors with bagpipes playing. Ms. Jackie Curtis sang the National Anthem.
Ms. Beth Crompton, Executive Vice President of Heart of Georgia Technical College, brought the welcoming of everyone to the technical college. She stated her definition of a winner is, “to give 100% to competition, to set high goals and work hard to achieve them, be disciplined, and to have strong motivation.”
The guest speaker, Mr. Timothy Lawrence, Executive Director of SkillsUSA, was introduced by David Paige-Bey, SkillsUSA State Officer Parliamentarian. Mr. Lawrence was a graduate of Virginia Tech University. He stated, “Everyone will come out a winner even if you do not win at your competition, you are still a winner to make it this far.” Some of the strong points he gave to the audience were tools for being a winner at whatever you do in life.
- Attitude-100%
- Communications
- Knowledge
- Judgment
- Dependability
- Tactfulness
- Enthusiasm
- Solid Work Ethics
- Personal Work Ethics
Mr. Lawrence asked the question, “Why do we fall? To pick ourselves back up again. It’s not who we are that defines us, but what we do!”
In the National Competitions, Georgia SkillsUSA competitors ranked 59 in the top 10 with 8 gold medals, 14 silver medals, and 4 bronze medals. WAY TO GO GEORGIA SKILLSUSA!
Dr. John Scott, SkillsUSA Consultant emphasized on the conference procedures, rules and regulations of the competitions.
David Paige-Bey, SkillsUSA State Officer Parliamentarian, announced the election of the new officer procedures. Each officer candidate was introduced and gave their speech on what would make them a great candidate for the new state officer positions. The candidates were Sh annon Green, Medical Assisting, and Christopher Ziegler, Plumbing, both of Moultrie Technical College; Nicole Jones, Larry Alford, and Lucille McGee, all three in the Culinary Arts Program at Atlanta Technical College, and Darryl Toliver, Augusta Technical College.
Delegates were then dismissed to the YKK Corporation Room for the voting of the new state officers for the 2007-2008 year.
On Saturday, April 21, 2007, the stress was over the top with the contestants. They all left for their competition areas around 8:30 am. Some finished their competitions earlier than others, but some didn’t finish until 4:00 or 5:00 pm. The carpenters out at Home Depot really had it tough out in that hot sun. Home Depot provided a lot of contest materials to the students in the carpentry program.
Ms. Pam McGee, Human Resources Manager for Home Depot, was on site to provide assistance for the students and advisors that were competing. She stated, “I am glad I am in position to provide assistance to these students for their competitions.”
The Annual Awards Program on Saturday night turned out to be an excellent event. David Paige-Bey, Georgia State SkillsUSA Parliamentarian, gave the announcement of the new state officers. They are Sh annon Green-Moultrie Technical College; Nicole Jones-Larry Alford-Lucille McGee all three of Atlanta Technical College; and Darryl Toliver-Augusta Technical College. These new Georgia State SkillsUSA Officers will go on to Helen, Georgia, for training as state officers. They will also go on to Washington, D.C., and will go to the Nationals in Kansas City, Missouri.
Congratulations to these new 2007-2008 State SkillsUSA Officers!
In the areas of competitions, MTC had three students in the 2007 Georgia Postsecondary SkillsUSA to win 1 st place and two to win 2 nd place and will continue on to Nationals in June 25-30, 2007 in Kansas City, Missouri. The 1 st place gold winners are Christopher Ziegler-Plumbing; David Butler-Carpentry, both in top photo; not pictured John Arnold-Welding. Not pictured are the 2 nd place silver winners are Brian Curp and Rick Helms-Mechatronics. Congratulations to these winners and good luck in the Nationals!
SkillsUSA would like to extend our appreciation of the businesses and industry supporters that made the 2007 Georgia Postesecondary SkillsUSA Championship Competition a great success. Some of them are DeWalt Industrial Tool Company, Georgia Power, 3-M Company, Grainger Industrial Supply, Home Depot, Irwin Tools, Klein Tools, MATCO Tools, Snap-On Tools, Turner Supply and others. There were so many, but many thanks go out to all who participated in and supported the competitions.
MOTTO FOR SKILLSUSA
Preparing for Leadership in the world of work.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL STUDENTS WHO WON FROM MOULTRIE TECHNICAL COLLEGE! JOB WELL DONE!
