Area 30 students excel at Skills USA 2011
Area 30 Career Center was well represented in multiple fields of competition at this year's Skills USA State Leadership and Skills Conference held in Indianapolis April 15-16. Skills USA is the only student organization devoted to the advancement of America's future skilled workers in more than 70 skill areas.
The mission of Skills USA is to provide "quality education experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development. It builds and reinforces self-confidence, work attitudes and communications skills. It emphasizes total quality at work-high ethical standards, superior work skills, life-long education and pride in the dignity of work.
Skills USA also promotes understanding of the free-enterprise system and involvement in community service."
Skills USA is another exceptional benefit to Area 30 students in preparation for postsecondary education and today's changing job market.
In each competition, students are judged on both knowledge and applied skills in their specific areas. For example, students competing in Preschool Teaching Assistant had to choose an age-appropriate storybook and create a handwritten lesson plan.
In addition, students were given two hours to take a 50-question quiz on early childhood education and prepare a lesson plan to teach an activity related to the storybook. Students were required to read the book and present the activity to a team of judges acting as the children.
Students from Area 30's Teacher Education program impressed the judges with their skills. Holly Jezior, GHS, took first place and Hanna Cochran, GHS, placed third.
Students from Area 30's Computer Systems Networking class competed in Technical Computer Applications. Students were required to take a 50-question quiz and showcase their skills in MS Office and collaboration, operating systems and internet capabilities.
In MS Office and collaboration, students created an Excel spreadsheet to total enrollment for a college's nine district campuses, embedded everything in a word document, and put the information in an organized presentation.
Students had to determine current drivers and recent updates on computers in the lab for operating systems. Finally, students were asked to determine specifics about a test subject's website.
Nikko Hayden, GHS, won first place and Max Dagley, GHS, was close behind capturing second place.
In the Criminal Justice area, Paige Hostetler-Miley, CHS, secured a first place finish after excelling on a written test, a pre-employment interview, participation in two active scenarios where she demonstrated skills based on knowledge of police work, officer safety and criminal law, and finally, completing detailed probable cause for arrest reports following each scenario.
Each of these students have worked hard in their programs at Area 30 and demonstrated not only a strong foundational knowledge in each area of study, but the ability to apply the knowledge in real-life situations.
Through planning, goal setting, and career and technical education, these students are well prepared to take the next step, whether that be college, an apprenticeship or any of the other many postsecondary education and training options, to a successful career.