“If there had been an overall district championship for combined SkillsUSA teams, we would have taken it,” cosmetology instructor Shelly Touchstone said of the district meet in San Angelo on Feb. 11-12.
The SkillsUSA teams qualified most of their members from automechanics, cosmetology, industrial arts and diversified career prep for state competition in Corpus Christi on March 31-April 2.
“Almost every kid we took went on to state,” Touchstone said. “We’re good this year. It makes a difference when you have a lot of teams.”
Junior Allie Norcross, who was the only student to make it to state in industrial arts, took a coffee table project for woods and received a blue ribbon.
“Whenever I ran into problems, my coach helped me figure it out and helped order supplies,” Norcross said. “Waiting to see what the judges thought of my table was the most difficult part.”
Industrial arts instructor Jerry Conner said state competition will be intense.
“It’s going to be tough,” Conner said. “There are going to be a lot of good people at contest. Our chances are slim…but we’re going to try our best.”
Conner said he was proud of his students at district.
“They were very well-behaved,” Conner said. “I was extremely surprised. I couldn’t ask for better students.”
In automechanics, sophomore Jacob Koethler will be going after placing second in both quiz bowl and secon in motorcycle service technology. Koethler said that he had expected to place in motorcycle service technology, but he wasn’t expecting to place in the quiz bowl.
“I was nervous in the quiz bowl because it was my first time, and I didn’t know exactly what to do,” Koethler said. “The hardest part was not knowing exactly what the questions were about.”
Junior Bronia Olivas said she wasn’t nervous at district because she has been to district and state before. She and other cosmetology members competed in chapter display and placed first.
“I was chosen to do the presentation part of the display,” Olivas said. “The hardest thing was working as a team. We all have different points of view and had to find a way to do it right.”
Olivas is a district officer and will be running for state officer.
“SkillsUSA offers you leadership skills and public speaking skills,” Olivas said. “You better yourself in whatever you compete in.”
District Results (first and second place advance to state)–
In chapter display, Olivas was first.
In prepared speech, freshman AJ Froese was first.
In quiz bowl, the team of senior Jacob Wiebe, senior Cody Pettyjohn, junior Danielle Weeks, junior Melvin Fehr and Koethler took second.
In customer service, Fehr was second, sophomore Dayne Browne was third and senior Erika Rodriguez was fourth.
In related technical math test, Wiebe was first and junior Shawn Banman was second.
In Texas SkillsUSA pin design, senior Jorge Sierra was first, junior Kayla Coon was second and success center senior Mireya Davila was third.
In emblem ceremony, the team of Weeks, sophomore Kristen Alvarado and freshman MeKenzy McKee took second.
In occupational skills, junior Kuger Dolloff was first, junior Steven Curb was second and junior Collin Bensing was third.
In woods projects, Norcross took a blue ribbon for her table.
In automotive service technology, Banman was first.
In aviation maintenance technology, sophomore Erick Wiebe was first and Froese was second.
In motorcycle service technology, sophomore Joey Guenther was first and Koethler was second.
In extemporaneous speaking, sophomore Trey Dodson was first.
In nail art, freshman Annie Klassen was fourth.
