SkillsUSA once again gears up for competition.
The Thomas Jefferson SkillsUSA team smiles after a good start to their season while gearing up for state. Photo by Henna Danek
Committed to hard work, the SkillsUSA Club embodies the virtues of diligence, service, honor, leadership, and good character.
With the motto of “preparing for leadership in the world of work,” this group of talented students isn’t about to slow down. The club has been working on community projects all year, and will soon be preparing for the annual district competition in Web Design, 3D Animation, and Photography. “Skills USA is about students coming together as an organization to provide leadership for other students, share experience, collaborate, and work for the community,” club sponsor Jerry Esparza said.
The group of about 60 members comes together every month, typically on the second or third Thursday, in CCT teacher Esparza’s room in the Magnet hallway to organize community service projects and competition information. According to Esparza, any students willing to be a guide for others, follow instructions, and help out neighboring peers and society are welcome to join the close-knit guild.
The club has already undertaken and completed several projects thus far in the school year. They’ve organized food drives around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays for families in the TJ community who struggle financially, as well as donating to the Food Bank of the Rockies. Likewise, last year the team helped raise money for a considerable hospital bill that a student’s injured family member had to pay. “We recently began a fundraiser selling chocolate candy bars and beef jerky sticks to help raise money for the programs Skills runs also,” added Esparza.
The preliminary in-house competition for Web Design was held on the 6th of February, and 3D on the 13th in Esparza’s CCT classroom at TJ. “The in-house competition is both exciting and stressful, but shows how students can work under pressure, which makes the product even more impressive,” declared 2012 2nd place 3D state winner, Brody Bills. Student groups of two give it their best shot at creating the top themed work in their Skill category in all but about seven and a half hours. This year, the Web challenge was to construct a website advertising the Lakeside Amusement Park located in Denver. The projects are assessed according to the assigned task by CCT teachers who will determine who goes on to state.
These aren’t the only events TJ competes in, however. The Photography district competition, which the school entered for the first time last year, is where students must enter their top three photos from within the past 12 months. They will then be evaluated and scored through photography critique aspects, with the top three point winners moving up to the state level. “It’s difficult to find the pictures you’re set on,” explains 2012 3rd place state Photography winner, Ryan Woods, “but once you choose them you’re proud of the work quality and just hope you’ll make it to state.”
The best three teams from 3D Animation, two from Web Design, and the three from Photography who make it past the first rigorous level will continue on to the intense second step. The state contest that will take place in April from the 17th to 19th at Red Rocks Community College consists of close to ten different regions across Colorado, totaling close to 300 students. The competitors will travel to compete for the whole meticulous day against other skilled students from the districts. “The most challenging thing is probably the time limit the students are constrained by. Last year a technical issue came up and one of our 3D teams had to start over from the beginning again, but still ended up placing,” Esparza beamed.
“The students go into competition knowing that their particular skill sets give them the same ability as anyone else at placing. I get excited when they do place, but either way all I can ask is that they do their best,” continued Esparza. The contest is challenging yet fun, and TJ’s SkillsUSA student members are prepared to face off as they begin the journey on the right track, starting with hard work. The nine club members who placed at state last year serve as an incentive that proves each student’s equal chance at victory.
