Skills USA advances tech and engineering skills
December 18, 2020
Last year the tech and engineering faculty started a club known as Skills USA. Teachers wanted to get students involved with this club because it advanced their creativity, problem solving and all-around knowledge by having them think and create different types of projects. Skills USA meets every Thursday during CIA in Room 117.
Woods teacher Bryan Lammers says the students that participate in the club compete using their skills in the tech and engineering field.
“Skills USA is a competition or series of competitions that test students’ skills in areas such as welding, woodworking, engine repair, metalworking and fabrication. It’s also a way for students to create projects that can be used, sold or donated to members of the community,” Lammers said.
Lammers also uses this experience for the students to help them discover and advance their skills, giving them more opportunities and knowledge about areas they enjoy.
“I aim for my students to learn a lot of new technical skills, meet new people and just broaden their horizons and expand their skill sets in the world,” Lammers said.
Within the early stages of developing ideas for projects the students thought up the idea of creating cornhole game boards, but that is not the only project President of Skills USA senior Raymond Mayotte has in mind.
“Currently, we’re trying to develop cornhole boards to sell in mass production, and also Diego Sparkman is working on a fire pit. Regarding the engines we have a few projects in development,” Mayotte said.
Besides the increased skill set in the tech and engineering realm earned by participating in Skills USA, Mayotte found himself advancing in different equally important skills.
“This year it has allowed me to work on something that I enjoy. It also allows me to develop leadership skills,” Mayotte said.
Sophomore Coral Phillips says this club could be beneficial to students that have interest in going to college and simply want to discover what their likes and dislikes are in the tech and engineering subject.
“It gets you to experiment and see everything that you want to do for when you’re older, and having it on a college application, and them knowing that that’s what you’re good at, and you can show them that you did it. That’s amazing. You’re showing people what you can do and you just see all the things you might want to do for your future or now,” Phillips said.
Being part of Skills USA helps students grow their self confidence by giving them the self satisfaction of being able to know exactly what they are talking about while referring to this specific subject. It gives students an opportunity to be open and creative without the fear of judgement and enhancing both their communication skills.
“I’m learning everything from parts of woods and types of woods for what I want to do when I’m older. Being an architect and building homes or other things. It’s nice getting a head start and knowing what I am doing, so I can start blooming now, and I have the skills to be able to go out and communicate with people, and just not being judged. I am more confident than I have ever been,” Phillips said.
