Important Life Lessons Outside of School

SkillsUSA

championsSUMMER 2009

inside the NLSC conference veterans share their stories living alone at a young age new skill assessments tools and ideas for your national week of service

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DIAGNOSTICS PRESSING PIPE & TUBE TOOLS DRAIN MAINTENANCE POWER TOOLS contentsSUMMER 2009 features

NLSC: Coming Back for More SkillsUSA’s National Leadership and Skills Conference always promises to be bigger and better every year. Find out how four confer- 11 ence veterans make it their personal best. By CRaiG E. MooRE & aNN P. SChREiBER departments 7 Ask Tim Saving Lives Before It’s Too Late By TiM LawRENCE Through service projects, SkillsUSA chapters are a good fit for communities. 8 What’s New Visit a school that helps By ToM KERChEvaL 13 prevent teen suicides, then see how members 2o Toolbox in other states build By ToM KERChEvaL “greener” homes and raise autism awareness. 21 Spotlight By aNN P. SChREiBER By aNN P. SChREiBER 22 Image Fighting Back By E. ThoMaS haLL Without a stable home, Gary Stange was adrift, living in far-flung places 17 from Mississippi to South Dakota. He’s proof that “you can do whatever you want, as long as you are willing to try.” By aNN P. SChREiBER

Gold Standard: Student & Teacher A young military wife found herself completely alone in an unfamiliar town. When the 18-year-old had a heart attack, On the Cover: 19 in high school, a new family was waiting. SkillsUSA Champion Channel Thomas By E. ThoMaS haLL of Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands. Photo by Lloyd Wolf.

Summer 2009 SkillsUSA Champions 5 SkillsUSA champions

SkillsUSA’s Official Magazine bO a r D O f Di r e c t O r S 14001 SkillsUSA Way, Leesburg, VA 20176-5494 Cameron Ferguson (Caterpillar Inc.) 703-777-8810 Tony Glenn (Nebraska) www.skillsusa.org Julie Yeater (Indiana) Moe Broom (Washington) Ma g a z i n e St a f f /Of f i c e O f PublicatiOnS Larry Rabalais (Louisiana) Tom Hall, Director Paul Williams (Rhode Island) Ann Schreiber, Communications Manager Emily Stover DeRocco (National Association of Craig Moore, Manager, Technology/Webmaster Manufacturers) Tom Kercheval, Manager, Audiovisual Technology/ Russ Hoffbauer (State Farm Insurance Communications Companies Inc.) Nick Morrisroe (Irwin Construction Tools and Of f i c e O f t h e ex e c u t i v e Di r e c t O r Accessories) Tim Lawrence, Executive Director Scott Plemmons (Lowe’s Companies Inc.) Sandra Moore, Administrative Assistant Greg Rintala (Snap-on Inc.) Glenn Barefoot (SkillsUSA State Directors aDMiniStratiOn a n D fi n a n c e Association) Sarah Morton, Director John Gaal (Association for Career and Technical Shelly Coates, Associate Director, Conference Education) Management Services James McKenney (American Association of SkillsUSA champions online Kim Graham, Associate Director, Finance Community Colleges) Manager, Literature Services/National (National Association of State Directors Visit SkillsUSA Champions’ online version at Keith Ashby, Wayne Kutzer www.skillsusa.org/champions/ Center of Career and Technical Education Consortium) to see expanded articles, extra photos, archives, advertiser links Melissa Wilson, Program Manager, Human Resources and more. Advisors’ lesson plans are included for Ashley Ridgeway, Program Specialist, Conference na t i O n a l St u D e n t Of f i c e r S /aD v i S O r S each new issue. Management Services Hi g H Sc H o o l Roxanne Hodge, Assistant, Literature Services/ Brittany Moon/Sidney Delepine (Virginia) Visit SkillsUSA’s frequently updated Web site, National Center/Accounts Receivable Cameron Thomas/Severo Perez (Texas) with SkillsUSA champions on every page! Kelsey Mehlhoff/Ryan Ubersox (Wisconsin) bu S i n e S S a n D in D u S t r y PartnerShiPS Alexandra Rotta/Lee Eyerman (Idaho) Eric Gearhart, Director Markel Guidry/Wayne Frugé (Louisiana) Chris Powell, Associate Director, Development Matthew Hale/Stephanie Hampton (Maryland) Ada Kranenberg, Program Director, SkillsUSA Brian Luckett/Kenneth Kilinski (Virginia) Championships Justine Morgan/Deb Stevenson (Ohio) Jim Kregiel, Program Manager, SkillsUSA Isabel Soto/Jackson Tegarden (Texas) Championships (Arizona) Dustin Martinez/Ron Pixley Volume 43, No. 4 Karen Beatty, Program Manager SkillsUSA Champions (ISSN 1040-4538) is Bruce Potter, Program Specialist, Kellogg Team/ co l l e g e /PoStSecondary published four times per school year Training Partnerships Jay Desmond/Hal Casey (Maine) — Fall (October/November), Winter Case Clough/Ron Downing (Kansas) (December/January), Spring (February/ cOMMunicatiOnS a n D gO v e r n M e n t re l a t i O n S Zachary Ferguson/Jessie Fox (North Carolina) March) and Summer (April/ May) — Tom Holdsworth, Director Gilbert Vallez/Max Lizarraga (California) by SkillsUSA Inc. at 14001 SkillsUSA Jane Short, Program Manager Kevin Griendling/Max Lizarraga (California) Way, Leesburg, VA 20176. Periodicals postage paid at Leesburg, VA, and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2009 by SkillsUSA. All rights reserved. Nonmember Ma r k e t i n g a n D Me M b e r S h i P Se r v i c e S aD v e r t i S i n g rePreSentativeS f O r Sk i l l S uSa ch a M P i O n S subscriptions: $15 per year (SkillsUSA members, $1.30 paid with Karen Perrino, Director Constellation Enterprises Inc. dues or affiliation fees). Judy Garrison, Senior Manager, Membership Services 53 Main St./P.O. Box 508 Susan Trent, Program Manager, Member Services Cherry Valley, NY 13320 Postmaster: Send address corrections to SkillsUSA Champions, Danielle Rinker, Program Specialist 607-264-9069 Attn.: Judy Garrison, 14001 SkillsUSA Way, Leesburg, VA 20176-5494. Shannon Tinsley, Specialist, Customer Service The names SkillsUSA, SkillsUSA Championships and SkillsUSA Me M b e r S h i P Pa y M e n t S /re M i t t a n c e S On l y Champions; the SkillsUSA: Champions at Work slogan; and the raining e M b e r S h i P a n D r O g r a M e v e l O P M e n t t , M P D SkillsUSA, P.O. Box 100491, Atlanta, GA 30384-0491 SkillsUSA logo, emblem and slogan art are all registered trade- Marsha Daves, Director marks of SkillsUSA Inc. All rights are reserved, and permission Heidi Ambrose, Associate Director, Programs must be granted by the national headquarters of SkillsUSA prior Deborah Kenn, Associate Director, Training to any use. Stephanie Bland, Program Specialist

ka n S a S ci t y Of f i c e 816-374-5416 Byekwaso Gilbert, SkillsUSA Program Developer

6 SkillsUSA Champions Summer 2009 asktim

The Power of Giving Executive Director Tim Lawrence has known SkillsUSA as a student member, instructor, industry partner and state director. Got a question? He can help. & Last issue, you wroteQ about how SkillsUSA’sa business partners believe Q:SkillsUSA fits into national calls so strongly in our mission, they’re giving to service. What can I do locally? to help students and schools accomplish Tim: Service comes in many forms, but it’s their goals. Lowe’s and Timberland all about giving. The act can be as simple provide cash grants and tools for commu- as helping a child learn to read or assisting nity improvement. Through the Kellogg an elderly person with a chore. Foundation’s investment, we’re reaching SkillsUSA offers a rich program of these into vulnerable communities, and we’re opportunities. Almost every chapter I’ve building 21st-century skill assessments visited has a distinct passion for serving its for our training programs. Even the community. The powerful stories in this NASCAR circuit is involved, with the magazine reinforce this wonderful aspect SkillsUSA logo displayed in two major of our chapters. I can’t recall any other race venues to draw attention to the good issue that’s been so full of kindness and things happening in our organization. with so many examples of giving. In May, our chapters will band together There’s the father-son team in Georgia for SkillsUSA’s National Week of Service, who’ve dedicated a combined 48 years to when we can make a powerful statement. lifting up their students. Students from All 17,000 local programs have an oppor- Pennsylvania bring awareness to autism. tunity to help others during this focused A young bride in Texas conducts a stuffed- campaign. I hope you’ll organize a service toy drive for military families. Georgia project for this event and send us a report. students build a wheelchair ramp for an See this issue’s “Toolbox” section and our injured classmate. A class in Delaware Web site for resources and details. shares podcasting skills with elementary Whether you have five members or 500, children. New Jersey students help prevent your local chapter can make a positive youth suicides. A team in Idaho constructs difference in the lives of others. I encour- “green” homes for Habitat for Humanity. age you to reach out and experience the A class works to prevent child abuse in great fulfillment that giving can bring. • Texas. And, a young South Dakotan who once led a troubled life opens up to help Got questions about SkillsUSA or other topics? others avoid his mistakes. Across the E-mail [email protected] or send a letter nation, SkillsUSA members are making to the address on the facing page. Put “Ask their communities (and themselves) better. Tim” in the subject line or mail address.

Summer 2009 SkillsUSA Champions 7 what’snew

A NASCAR Champion Assessing the Assessments

sn’t it a great feeling when something promised becomes i something delivered? That’s how SkillsUSA is feeling these days Delivers regarding the recent availability of its first Skill Connect Assessments, part of SkillsUSA’s Work Force Ready System. These online, interactive assess- For Students ments were developed and validated f it’s a good day when your school “Tough Tools for Cool Schools” program, by industry experts, and they help you receives a free donation of Kobalt tools, which will donate more than $300,000 prove your technical skills to potential iwhat kind of day is it when those tools worth of Kobalt tools to 500 SkillsUSA employers. The first eight (Advertis- are personally delivered by NASCAR building trades programs nationwide. ing Design, Automated Manufacturing champion Jimmie Johnson? “This was “The program is great because we are Technology, Computer Maintenance the greatest day of my teaching career,” literally putting those tools in the hands of Technology, Cosmetology, Internet- said Price Jacobs, a 20-year building and students who need them to further their working, Employability, Photography construction trades instructor at Lovejoy education,” Johnson said. and Welding) are available now at: www. High School in Hampton, Ga. For the full press release, visit: www. workforcereadysystem.org. • Johnson’s special delivery to Jacobs’ prweb.com/releases/SkillsUSA/Lowes/ students marked the kickoff of Lowe’s prweb2246304.htm. •

NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson mingles with SkillsUSA students after delivering a donation of tools. Photo: Harold Hinson Photography

8 SkillsUSA Champions Summer 2009 what’snew

A Different Kind of Casting Call k i l l S NEW S USA SkillsUSA recently held a national “state of the woRLdTEaM organization” webcast. Missed it? Visit http://web. STiLL GRowiNG ganconference.com/?meeting=3913885 to catch up. • SkillsAD 0809253.qxp:Layout 1 2/4/09 3:13 PM Page 1 hat does it take to build an international team of career andw technical education champions? “A truly world-class team effort,” says Peter Carey, SkillsUSA New Jersey director and official delegate of the 2009 SkillsUSA WorldTeam. He’s not exaggerating. The 2009 VOL AU VENTS? WorldSkills Competition (WSC) New brand of Swedish spring water? will take place Sept. 1-7 in Calgary, Alberta, and SkillsUSA plans to field a team of 18 competitors, its largest Actually it means “flying in the ever. Last issue, we introduced the wind” – but foodies around the first seven. Now, five more have joined world know it as a puff pastry shell the elite ranks: Fernando De La Garza that’s, you guessed it, incredibly light. (Idaho) in CNC Milling, Hayden At The Culinary Institute of America, we LeJeune (La.) in Electronics Tech- speak food, and our knowledge of this nology, Jennifer Miaczynski (Ill.) in international language draws from an appetite ingrained in the fingertips, taste Hairdressing, Amela Mujkic (Mich.) buds, and imagination of our students, in Printing, and Leroy Rogers (Wis.) professors, and alumni. It's expression, in Plumbing. it's love – it's life.

Be a Part of the worldTeam! SkillsUSA has just launched a new Web site so you can join the team effort: www.everydayrealheroes.org. This exciting campaign is well worth a visit. Support your SkillsUSA WorldTeam and share the site with your friends. •

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. nlsc.shtml www.skillsusa.org/events/ all unfoldit onlineat: See youthere —or watch Total in-kindindustry • than 125exciting More • • Combined attendance • Total contest area of • than 5,000 More • numbers, includes: it Mo., June21-26.the By to Kansascomes back City, SkillsUSA’s bigshow at2009’s conference what you can expect $35 million than butions ofmore and educationcontri- TECHSPO inSkillsUSAexhibits University sessions Eighty-two SkillsUSA than 14,000 of more football fields) (coveringthan 16 more 787,482 square feet leadership events 91 different and skilled students competing in 74935_40949-5.indd 1 •

PENNER ARLAN kids,” the for ence experi good “It’s areal been Penner makes an effort to University. State once while attending Pittsburg twice as Penner’s student and national medal three times: won a Deeds, Adam them, arow. in of One champions state seven had has School High (Kan.) at McPherson tion. The carpentry teacher participa SkillsUSA students’

(below) (below) describes his - - Give new meaning basic stepstoincreasetheirknowledge. With 15informativechapters, thisbook Hydraulics isasimplelanguageinstructionmanualthatprovidesnewlearnerswith problems, testingcomponentsinoff-roadvehicles, trucksand automobiles. Hydraulics, youcanshowyourclassthe “how-to” fordiagnosing necessary for hydraulicsystemsinautomotivesaresimplerthanstudentsmaythink. With Just oneofthe27booksfromJohnDeerePublishing.Learningoperation Hydraulics: FundamentalsOfService prices, ortogetourfreecatalog! Call (800)522-7448 toorder, toinquireinto www.johndeere.com/publications of automotivehydraulicsystems. handbook tohelptraineescomprehend allthetheories troubleshooting anddiagnosticcharts. This istheideal standing. gives students clear demonstrations Filled withremarkablydesignedillustrations, can supportthebeginnersorevenmostexperiencedmechanics. to your community.” community.” your to back of giving value the learn to but it’s important also skill, a learn to “It’sadds, important Year of the Advisor Kansas community service. The 2007 involved in mentoring and are They compete. than His students do a lot more year,” every he says. program the in 10 we have average, girls ally been male dominated. “On tradition has which program, his to students female recruit to Motor-head From photographs and pictorial diagrams • forgreater under- - Hydraulics test. course the on percent Eleanor, W.Va., 100 score to and Technical Center in Career Putnam from student carpentry, and she’s the only name a few. Her next stop is to operator, just chemical and welder miner, acoal been has Mosley, of St. Albans, W.Va., edition) online our photo in ding (see her SkillsUSA-themed wed- the national Carpentry contest the day after she competed in Missouri, in time, seventh a for married They 50 states. all in of 22 years plans to marry her jobs or weddings. Her husband MOSLEY MACK not is LILLIE enoughfor Once to 40949-5 12/19/07 1:25:52 PM , whether it’s • .

Photos: Lloyd Wolf Moved by a tragedy in Saving an instructor’s family, students are bringing a serious and painful issue into the light — and showing their peers how asking for help can LivesBefore It’s Too Late be a sign of strength By Ann P. Schreiber

uicide is the third leading cause of death among those 15-24 years old, Saccording to the American Founda- tion for Suicide Prevention. “No one wants to talk about this subject, and it needs to be talked about,” says student Melissa Sabolcik. “There are so many people out there who have these feelings bottled up, and they don’t want to let them out. They take the wrong alternative to stop the feelings instead of just talking to someone about it.” After an instructor’s nephew ended his life, Sabolcik and her classmates realized that it was time to raise awareness about this painful subject. With Amy Yang and Amanda Laird-Kern, fellow students at Gloucester County Institute of Technol- Photo: Lloyd Wolf ogy (GCIT) in Sewell, N.J., she helped to (From left) Amy Yang, develop a suicide awareness and preven- Amanda Laird-Kern and Melissa Sabolcik. tion program. Using the theme “Be Aware, People wEB RESoURCES Care,” they ordered blue-and-white h Find out more about suicide prevention and get ideas for your own aware- silicone bracelets and had sponsor cards ness projects at: www.afsp.org printed for a fundraiser. “The blue represents darkness and the white represents h As these students learned, getting the light,” Yang explains. “It symbolizes going facts about teen depression and suicide prevention made these tough topics from darkness into the light.” easier to talk about with their peers. An official sponsor of the local American Visit: www.teendepression.org and Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s “Out www.depressionisreal.org of the Darkness” walk, GCIT’s SkillsUSA chapter organized an October event with N.J. Gov. Jon Corzine as guest speaker.

Summer 2009 SkillsUSA Champions 13 “This is a tough topic to get high school students ... to embrace. At first it was a little scary, but then they researched it. They learned about it. They shared it with their peers. Now it’s not so scary to talk about.” — Toni Terpolilli, SkillsUSA advisor

More than 400 people participated. Yang adds that she thinks it’s a sign of to know where to go to get help. There (Corzine is pictured above in the gray sweater.) strength to get help, “because it shows you is a stigma attached with this, and that’s Besides the walk, now an annual event, have the courage to go out there and find what the kids are afraid of. They need to SkillsUSA members held a schoolwide a way to solve your problems.” learn there are others who may feel the assembly. ACTing Out, the school’s dance Laird-Kern agrees: “I think you should same way. troupe, gave several performances. try to help someone even though it’s not “This is such a touchy area,” she adds. Speakers were also invited to discuss easy. If the person won’t talk about it, you “Schools can be a little reluctant to both the warning signs and the emotional should definitely go tell someone else, address this. We asked our principal, impact suicide has on families and friends. a parent or a teacher, that the person is and she said, ‘You have to talk about The students learned how to talk to their troubled.” this, because it’s a problem.’ From top to peers about depression and suicide. They bottom, our school, they support it.” heard how important it is to approach a ‘There are people who can help’ Terpolilli’s sister-in-law attended the friend in crisis, regardless of how uncom- Toni Terpolilli, the students’ SkillsUSA assembly and was so impressed, she fortable it may be. advisor, is the instructor who lost her encouraged the chapter to take the show “I think a lot of times, people are afraid nephew to suicide. on the road. “We’ve actually had two to ask for help,” Yang says. “I think it’s “In our area, there’s definitely a other places book the assembly,” the good to get help. You should never give up problem,” Terpolilli explains, “so that’s advisor says. DVDs of the program are and resort to suicide. Once you’re gone, how we began the whole thing. We have also available. everyone’s affected. Your whole family to tell kids that it’s not the end. There are “We as adults sometimes minimize will miss you. Your friends will miss you.” people who can help, and I wanted them the problems that these kids are having,” Terpolilli explains. “To us, their issues are small, but to them, they are huge. And we need to realize that and not just say, ‘Oh, it will be OK.’ “For the first year after my nephew passed away, I just couldn’t get a grasp of it. But then I talked to one of our school- based youth counselors, and we realized that we had to do something.” Her students created brochures of the warning signs to share with classmates. “This is a tough topic to get high-school students at such a young age, from 14 to 17, to embrace,” Terpolilli says. “At first it was a little scary, but then they researched it. They learned about it. They shared it with their peers. Now it’s not so scary to talk about.” To prove that point, Sabolcik adds, “If someone were on the edge, I would tell them that like everything in life, there are all different sides. There are bad sides, but there are also good. There are ways to find that good side. There are people out there who can help you with your problems.” •

(To learn more about GCIT’s program or how to start your own suicide awareness program, e-mail Toni Terpolilli: [email protected].) Puzzle pieces giving autism a full picture nspired by dean of students Mike Galler and his son Trestin, who has autism, the studentsi at Bethlehem Area Vocational Technical School in Northampton, Pa., wanted to raise awareness. They ended up raising more than $8,500 for the Lehigh Valley chapter of Autism Speaks. Working with that organization since 2007, the school has hosted “Walk Now for Autism” events for the funds. Students Building a ‘green’ home: have also invited guest speakers, helped in classrooms and held spa nights for parents. Students’ work scores higher Autism Speaks’ symbol is a puzzle, because its mission is finding the missing than builder’s in energy rating pieces of autism. Using this symbol in an awareness project last year, the school’s reener than grass. That’s what students real-life experience while SkillsUSA national competitors won a GMark Enger says of the home his being graded. Students who participate bronze medal in Community Service. students are now building for Habitat can test for college course credits. Enger This year, they’ve enlisted help from for Humanity. They’re raising the bar is now in his fourth year on the project, Monroe Career and Technical Institute in on energy efficiency from last year’s and the school’s been at it for eight. Bartonsville, Career Institute of Technol- standards, when the students’ work not “The Habitat home benefits people ogy in Easton, and Upper Bucks Area only met all the building code certifica- in the community, obviously, but we Vocational Technical School in Perkasie. tions for building a residential home but can use it for its many training facets ... Together, the schools have made 750 exceeded Energy Star standards as well. masonry, construction, digital home- wooden puzzle pieces. Carpentry students “There was a professional builder technology integration, architecture ... cut the pieces, auto collision classes prime in the same area who could not meet it’s doing the whole thing,” Enger says. and smooth the edges, and cosmetology the testing specifications of what the When Enger started teaching this students help autistic children paint them. students accomplished on this home,” program four years ago, he had no According to Galler, representatives Enger explains, “meaning our home idea what he was getting into, so he from Autism Speaks flew in from Los tested tighter and more efficient than a recruited his son to ensure he had Angeles to discuss turning these efforts home built by a professional builder.” someone he could depend on. Three into a model awareness program to imple- Enger’s residential construction class other students signed up. ment in elementary schools. • is part of the Professional Technical “Now I have 60 students registered for magnet program in Joint School District the level-one construction course and No. 2 at Meridian (Idaho) High School. over 30 some odd students out on the The class is one of the only high school job site building the home,” he adds. classes in the state to provide this type Once Enger starts talking about the of hands-on learning and experience. benefits of the project, he can’t stop. Students get graded for their work on “We’re saving the taxpayers money. the house. Sixty thousand dollars was covered The Meridian School District and through donations to Habitat. The Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity school district doesn’t use one dime of have formed a partnership to provide the taxpayers’ money.” occupational training to students The Habitat for Humanity Construc- and homes for needy families in the tion Center relocates each year to a new community. Habitat building lot location within the Each year, students build a Habitat Meridian School District boundaries. home that is ready for the owners by The program follows the National June. The program was developed to Center for Construction Education and incorporate the different disciplines Research curriculum endorsed by the Bronze medalists Shea Emanuel, aaron of construction education and give Associated General Contractors. • Longley and vicky Cook with Trestin Galler.

Summer 2009 SkillsUSA Champions 15 Skill Connect ® Assessments cost $5 for SkillsUSA members or $20 for nonmembers.

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Assessments will be available in more than 40 technical areas. These eight were released in March: • Advertising Design • Automated Manufacturing Technology Sample question from the Computer • Computer Maintenance Technology Maintenance Skill Connect® Assessment • Cosmetology • Employability • Internetworking Skill Connect® • Photography • Welding Assessments Available Now! To order, to see demonstrations and for more information, please go to www.workforcereadysystem.org or contact: [email protected] The Way Ahead 16 SkillsUSA Champions Summer 2009 P ‘FIGHTING BACK’ that his life slowly started to change. to slowly started life his that hope begins to fillhis voice. It wasin Faith coincidentally, of it, speaks Stange When where he now lives. town the is Faith Faith.” to me back drive a friend burg, Miss., to Rapid City, S.D., then had Vicks 16. from Iwas abus Itook own. my on Dakota South Imoved to “So, have. parents my do moreto than had that I realized I education. my finish to Iwanted decided “I he adds. anymore,” couldn’tdidn’t do it Ijust ... to need and, sippi the last time, I got into some stuff I Missis to we moved back “When at-riskfor youth. care specialized Placement offer homes placement home.” the ended up in that I was, but I was a troublemaker and of time amount same home the for foster a in was “He remembers. Stange him,” raise to had Ipractically afriend. with Now he’s awhile. for uncle staying and aunt my with lived brother “My little 13. only Iwas months. about four for detention went juvenile to and a cop placement home, Ihit the in “While list. agrocery reviewing he were if as life troubled of his inventory the through rambles stoically Stange fight,” to got says. he But it’s stop. to you’ve going never think It’s how you thethink world is. that. And you with time ahard went “I through physically. as well as emotionally mark, its left had he suffered abuse The schools. 21 attended different eventually placement —Stange homes and detention juvenile homes, foster to grandparents from —and Dakota sippi South to Missis from forth and back Shuttled lanky with rhyming as pronounced get custody,” says Stange (whose name is a while, then to court to see who would for grandparent to grandparent went from After “my parents ended up splitting, I state. his in medalist overcome on the road to becoming a gold Stange, it’s part of what he’s both seen and juvenile detention. But for Gary But Gary for detention. juvenile drug addiction, physical abuse or You achampion. don’t icture see ). - - -

Photo: Lloyd Wolf alla place things called Faith. are possible. toIt allregain came atogether belief that in andwas another emotional story. journey Itfight took toa longthe right physical place enthusiasmLearning to take the for school. Patiencehis fighting Noah lostspirit. her thegave midst this of youngcivil war, man LivingA rough on start the inrun life in B y A n n P. S r e B i e r h c “I stayed with my girlfriend, whom I’d “It’s how you Yet he adds, “You’ve got to believe in been with for years. She’s been a real big yourself. You can’t let anyone drag you help,” Stange says. “I stayed there for a think the down. Don’t think that you have to be like week and had to get out. Her dad didn’t world is. And your parents. There’s so much opportu- want me there. I had to find a place, and I nity. Go with what you know, and try. ended up staying with a preacher for about you think it’s never going to “It’s true, the sky is the limit. You can a month in his basement. Things didn’t stop. But you’ve got to fight.” do whatever you want as long as you are work out there. He was too busy to keep willing to try.” track of me. Now he’s in the second year of a Since high school, Stange has had his “I stayed with another family for about two-year collision repair program. Disbe- own apartment. He’s had to work two jobs a year. The hardest part was trying to get lief registers on Stange’s face as he reflects to afford the place while attending school. enrolled in high school. You need parental on how far he’s come. Last year, he earned But he isn’t complaining. Shrugging his signatures for everything. I was really a state gold medal in SkillsUSA’s Collision shoulders, he says it’s no big deal. just having a hard time staying in school, Repair Technology competition. “I’m working right now as a structural because I didn’t have the signatures. I was “When I was in Mississippi, I was in a welder as I go for my degree in collision technically not even a student. welding class and a teacher mentioned repair. I got lucky and got a job through a “But I did finish and graduated in SkillsUSA,” he remembers. “I always school career-day event.” 2007, and I put myself into [Rapid City’s] knew what it was, but, I never thought Stange smirks before he launches into Western Dakota Tech,” he adds. “I had I was going to get involved. I was never a lighter tidbit of his life involving his to prove that I was independent. Now I’m a good student. When I went to South instructor, Wayne Kessler. going to college, and I think I’m doing Dakota, [my instructors] mentioned it.” “My mom’s been married three times, pretty good.” including to a guy who was my instruc- Stange attributes New Beginnings, a Proving them wrong tor’s cousin. So I’m kind of related to program run by Lutheran Social Services Stange joined the chapter at Western my instructor. I milked the cows at my in Aberdeen, S.D., for helping him get Dakota Tech, competed and made it to instructor’s dad’s house. And, I never established on his own. nationals. His motivation for not giving knew it until I started school.” “If it weren’t for them and a few of the up? Proving his family wrong, he says. With an air of acceptance, he offers: “I people there, I don’t know what would “My family said I couldn’t do it. I’m from just want kids to know it’s not the end of have happened to me,” he says. a long line of failures.” the world if you end up like I did.” •

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Finding her heart’s desire in her own New Back yard Lives are marked by milestones: the good (like graduations and weddings) and the not so good (separations and heart attacks). LaManda Slover experienced them all in little more than a year.

y the time she started her senior year, In more ways than one. “I went into LaManda Slover was already a newly- SkillsUSA to help me meet people,” Slover Bwed. She’d left her family in Cleveland, says, “and that’s how I met all my friends.” Okla. (“I’d say Hallett, but that isn’t even As a gift to local children with deployed on the map,” she laughs) for Fort Hood, parents, she helped her chapter collect Texas. Her husband, Jimmy, had just hundreds of stuffed toys. The project won enlisted in the Army, and she planned to a state gold medal in Community Service. stay with him only for the summer and Aside from the resulting trip to the then finish high school back home. SkillsUSA nationals, Slover was planning Then the orders came that changed on being the first person in her family to everything. Jimmy was being deployed to graduate from high school. Then came Iraq months earlier than expected. a major setback. “I had a heart attack at “Oh, no, so soon,” Slover remembers school,” she explains, and needed surgery thinking. She decided to remain in Texas due to a pre-existing condition. “I had and enjoy the time together they had left. to get back in school. I couldn’t fail.” Five months after their move, Jimmy was Although out for two weeks, with Drawdy gone, and she was living alone and attend- at her side in the hospital, she caught up. ing Shoemaker High School in Killeen. Graduation neared, but two days before Hard lessons followed, like $1,500 in it, Slover hadn’t heard from her husband, telephone calls to Iraq the first month. who was making a special trip. “And he The 18-year-old considered moving back knocks on my door. I was like, ‘Ahh! You to her old school, where she’d completed made it for graduation, everything!’ I was Photo: Lloyd Wolf a nurse assisting program. She wanted to just so afraid he wasn’t going to,” she says. earn a phlebotomy certification as well. Their visit was cut short by SkillsUSA’s Then Slover found out about Shoemak- conference. “Usually he leaves me at the By E. Thomas Hall er’s cooperative education program, which airport, and this time I left him,” Slover led to a full-time position at a nursing notes. “I lost a day with him, but I think home — and a “mom away from home.” we did awesome in our competition.” That was co-op teacher Brenda Drawdy. It would be hard to forget a senior year “She didn’t know where to go looking for like hers. She and Jimmy are now focused jobs in, you can imagine, a strange place,” on another move, to Fort Riley, Kan., but Drawdy recalls. “I just happened to have Slover remembers its lessons: “Don’t ever the right connections.” use a calling card with a cell phone!” •

Summer 2009 SkillsUSA Champions 19 toolbox

Acts of Selfless Service Often Need to Be Shared

killsUSA’s National Week of Service is May 3-9, and we want to know about Syour projects! That’s why SkillsUSA is offering a special gift to all chapters who send us a report on their community service activities during this annual event commemorating SkillsUSA’s founding. While planning your project, remember to appoint photographers to chronicle the event. When it’s completed, come together as a class and discuss what you accomplished. Why did you choose this project? What were the highlights? How many were involved? How were your technical skills put to use? Assign a student (or your advisor) to take notes during the discussion and write up the final report (just a few paragraphs). Then, e-mail it Photo: Lloyd Wolf by May 31 to [email protected] and look for your gift to follow soon after. Oh, and don’t forget the photos! Nobody makes a greater mistake than he For more, visit: www.skillsusa.org/events/ who did nothing because he could service.shtml. • only do a little. — ed m u n d Bu r k e

Find the photo, win a prize No, the picture on the left isn’t abstract art. It’s actually a distorted part of another photo in this issue. Find the original photo and send us the page number where it appears to win a SkillsUSA track jacket (first prize) or cap (second prize). To enter, e-mail your answer, name, address and telephone number to: [email protected], with “Photo Contest” in the subject line. Or, mail to: SkillsUSA Photo Contest, 14001 SkillsUSA Way, Leesburg, VA 20176. One first-place and one second-place winner will be picked from a random drawing of correct entries. Entries must be received by Aug. 1. Congratulations to last issue’s winners: Danny Ramirez of Troy, N.Y., and Steven Hill of El Paso, Texas. •

20 SkillsUSA Champions Summer 2009 spotlight

haNdPRiNTS RaiSE PRoFiLE oF ChiLd aBUSE Helping

ith the theme “Hands Can Hurt, a classmate Hands Can Heal,” the SkillsUSA animationw chapter students at San Benito recuperate (Texas) High School have raised aware- fter Jessica McGowan ness about child abuse prevention. They suffered a severe back dubbed their week of awareness activi- ainjury in a horseback riding ties the Handprint Project. Chapter accident, Jamy Meeks and Nick members gave teachers blue ribbons to Dipaolo, her teachers at Jones County High School in Gray, Ga., and prin- distribute to more than 1,000 students. cipal Chuck Gibson rallied volunteers to help. With the work of their construction students, donated materials and a discount and free delivery from Ace Hardware, the group built a wheelchair ramp at the high-school senior’s home. While McGowan recuperates, her mother, a county school system employee, will be off work to take care of her. To offset this loss of income as well as the medical expenses, teachers wore jeans to school for a $5 donation and opened a bank account to accept other donations. •

Pint-sized They helped classmates make painted podcasters handprints on a poster as a pledge to stop abusive behavior. Guest speakers Digital media seniors at Delcastle addressed several classes. Students held a stuffed animal drive for Maggie’s House, Technical High School in Wilm- a nonprofit that houses abused children. Victims of abuse were allowed to write ington, Del., help elementary their stories anonymously on T-shirts that were displayed on a clothesline at students create podcasts. The youngsters write and illustrate stories, then the school. A culminating community event at the Heavin Resaca Trails park are recorded reading them. Using GarageBand software, the seniors import featured the same shirts, plus an awareness walk (photo, above), concession stands the audio and scans of the pictures, add music and mix the sound with voice and entertainment. As a resource for victims and survivors, tracks. They upload their podcast collection to www.myistorybook.com. This the students also developed a Web page and posted public service announce- project was entered in SkillsUSA’s Student2Student Mentoring recognition ments they produced. See their work at: www.sbcisd.net/thehandprintproject.html. • program (see winners at: www.skillsusa.org/educators/mentrecog.shtml). •

Summer 2009 SkillsUSA Champions 21 image

killsUSA Champions features our members’ photography. We’re looking for images of local chapters in action, or photos showing individual members’ concentration or perseverance. The photographer’s chapter is awarded $150. E-mail: [email protected] for Sdetails (put “Image Photo” in the subject header), or write SkillsUSA Champions, 14001 SkillsUSA Way, Leesburg, VA 20176. •

Electronics student Tyler Koeller works with a digital trainer at Miami Valley Career If you stop, you’ll Technology Center in Clayton, Ohio. never know in life The photographer what you really can is Allysa Smith, whose instructor is do. My father, he was Jay Vada. a hard-working man, and he always just went out and did what he had to do to support his family. Seeing his level of sacrifice is what gave me what I needed in order to push me to be the best that I can be. Lillie Mack Mosley, SkillsUSA competitor, Photo: Allysa Smith launched her new career If you want your program to be successful and in carpentry at Putnam you really want your students to be successful, Career and Technical you must get involved in SkillsUSA. Center in Eleanor, W.Va. Carlos Jones Sr., 32-year teacher, Kingsland, Ga.

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