Teens compete in SkillsUSA Career and Technical Education Student Organization Conference

KPBSD students from all around the district convened at Soldotna High School on January 28, 2016, for the annual SkillsUSA competition. SkillsUSA is a Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) that provides a partnership of teachers and industry representatives working with the Career and Technical Education (CTE) students who are preparing for technical, skilled, and service occupations. SkillsUSA helps students see how their learning applies to the needs of employers. Regardless if a student is headed for college or directly into the workforce, these educational activities will help them prepare for the future. Students receive a strong foundation in academics, and relevant hands-on technical experience.

For the first time, five peninsula area schools, Homer High School, Kenai Central High School, Nikiski Middle-High School, Seward High School, and Soldotna High School, competed in the competition. The KPBSD district competition is a showcase of their specific technical, academic and employability abilities. These abilities are represented through Culinary Arts, Construction, Early Childhood Development, Drafting, Technical Math, Welding, Job Interview, Photography, Prepared and Extemporaneous Speech, Job Skills Demo, Welding and Small Engine Identification skill events. For example, the culinary arts students demonstrated a variety of skills, which include knife skills, sanitation, food preparation, presentation, cooking techniques, quality and flavor of their prepared items. The KPBSD borough-wide SkillsUSA is a qualifier for students to demonstrate their skills and emulate the competition held at the Alaska SkillsUSA competition in Anchorage at the end of March. The conference also included instructional workshops on firefighting instruction training, drug and alcohol awareness, and forensic science crime scene investigation.

Congratulations to all the students who participated in 2016! First, second, and third place winners are posted online.

A special thank you is extended to the teachers, volunteers, Doug Gordon, Soldotna High School, Trevor Earll, Soldotna CES, Josh Thompson, Soldotna Police Officer Tobin Brennan, Kenai Police Department, Sargeant Ben Langham and Officer Alex Prins to help make the competition a wonderful experience.

Story contributed by Matt Widaman, Career and Technical Education District Specialist

Links

• Facebook: KPBSD Career and Technical Education  
• KPBSD CTSO competitions
• KPBSD Career and Technical Education (CTE) webpage