Awards Ceremony Night

CONGRATS TO OUR TEC STUDENTS !!!
We are all very proud of you !!!
Shelby, Cassandra & Elizabeth competed as a team in the Crime Scene Investigation category and placed FOURTH IN THE NATION! Ryan took FIFTH PLACE in the Precision Machining Technology category! Kira & Josh placed FIFTH as a team in the Audio Production category! Also competing were Craig & Reese in the Mechatronics category and Alex in the Computer Maintenance category. Thank you all for representing the state of Michigan and St.Clair TEC so very well !!!

Cold Stone

Everyone was happy to get ice cream after a hot night at Kemper Arena!!!

~Bill

Early Saturday Morning Blogs

After a long day at Kemper arena, advisers were able to relax!!!


~Bill

Hotel Waterfall

What a beautiful hotel we stayed in!!!


~Bill

Ready and Waiting!!!

Everyone is all packed up and ready to go to the airport!!

After Cold Stone and Cheese Cake!!

Public Safety & Digital Media girls are trying to intimidate the crowd....


~Bill Saunders

This has been a great experience for our TEC students. All of the students participating have stated that it is a once in a life time experience. The Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) competition was extremely competitive. A total of 33 states competed. The students placed 4th and missed medal contention by only a few points. I do feel that if we would have had the same equipment as the other states, the students could have scored better on the collection part of the testing. The CSI team missed a critical piece of evidence under the back seat of the vehicle. They do not practice with simulated firearms and do not recognize the shapes in low light situations. I am very proud of the students and feel that they did the best job under the conditions. They only have 30 minutes to process the scene and 30 minutes to write a report. Not even a trained Police Officer can process a scene in that short of a time. Great Job St. Clair TEC CSI Students!

Your Instructor,
Richard DeShon

Rewards after awards

After we left Kemper Arena we went out for some Cold Stone ice cream and Kansas City cheese cake at the Cheese Cake Factory!!!!

Once we found our way....


Bill Saunders A+, Net+, Security+
Info Tech Instructor

Awards

Since this was my first awards ceremony, I was blown away!!! Unless you experience it first hand you can't get the full affect of the night. The roar of the crowd is amazing!

~Bill A+, Net+, Security+
Info Tech Instructor

SkillsUSA Advisor

Hello fellow followers,
This week in Kansas City has been a blur. Time has passed quickly during the day due to a busy schedule. The national contest committee has changed the look of the Precision Machining competition- due to the loss of business and industry partners and sponsors that donate machinery and tooling. The contest started on Tuesday with the orientation and briefing of the agenda. The students were bused over to Metropolitan Community College on Wednesday in order to operate the manual machinery portion of their contest. Thursday was spent at the conference hall floor at Bartle Hall competing on CNC milling and turning, programming, process control, shop theory, applied math, written exam, blueprint reading, and professional development interview. Friday was a day where the students finally had their first chance to sleep in and catch up on some greatly needed rest... and also had some time to sightsee in the Kansas City area. We are all looking forward to returning back home ASAP and enjoying our much awaited summer days. See all of you soon.

Duane Emig
St. Clair TEC
Metal Machining Instructor

Before awards

Closing Ceremony. The students are proud that they are among the top
2% of students that made it to nationals. They are all champions.

Computer Maintenance Technology

What an exciting week it has been!!! I don't think it has dropped below 95 degrees since we landed here. Alex has done very well. He passed his A+ exam again with a very high score of 850 out of 900. Some of the hands on was difficult but we are still hoping for a medal...

~Bill Saunders A+, Net+, & Security+
Info Tech Instructor

It's announced that the contest is delayed until 10 am.

Technical difficulties with the audio competition, not enough power
supplies.
The students wait while the situation is sorted out.

Josh and Kira ready to start the audio competition. Good luck to all
St. Clair TEC teams today!

Holladay!

Today I caught Mrs. Holladay on her way back from the 5K Run through Kansas City.

Skills has been amazing so far, Josh and I finished our field
recording today. It was at the American Jazz Museum. Tomorrow we have to edit, it should be interesting! Wish us luck!

GO MICHIGAN!

- Kira Letzgus
Audio/radio production

Students rave about trip

When I thought of skills USA, I never thought that I would have this much fun here! Being in Missouri for nationals is one of the best experiences of my life. The hotel we are staying at is amazing. There is a 5 story waterfall and on the top 4 floors of the hotel there is a mall. I never want to leave. I'm having the time of my life. I'm so glad that I am in skills because being in Kansas City is such a wonderful experience that I will never forget.

- Cassie Martin
Public Safety, CSI

I can't believe I'm here! Skills USA National Conference! The Kansas city area is so beautiful! Every night my roommates and I sleep with our shades pulled back, just to see the city at night. It a bit hotter than I would like it to be, because I'm used to the Michigan weather, but I think I'm getting used to it.
Oh, and don't even get me started about the hotel! Oh my goodness its gorgeous! I can't believe we're staying here. The hotel itself has a three story shopping mall and what I think is probably the best ice cream I've ever eaten in all of my life! I will be so sad when I have to leave here. It's something I'll never forget!

-Shelby McCormick
Public Safety, CSI

Kemper Arena, opening ceremony.

The Westin Crown Center

Kira

Late lunch after the audio orientation. Kira picked out the Market. A
grocery store/buffet. Good food.
Afterwards we decided to walk the mile + back to the hotel.

In line for the army helicopter flight simulator. The convention
center is packed with many activities, along with give-aways and a
live band. Orientation is later this afternoon but right now the
students are enjoying the atmosphere of this event as well as trading
state pins with the other students from all over the country.

Tuesday morning we had our State breakfast, then on to the convention
center. Cassie Martin shows off her complimentary backpack from Lowes.
Everybody gets one and a t-shirt which will get us into the Champions
festival Wednesday evening.

Shirts to wear at Skills "fun night" at World's of fun on Thursday
night.
The students had a long day today. The meeting ended at 11pm... then on to take the leadership test. Tomorrow students will attend a two hour
orientation for their competition.

Michigan's flair for opening ceremony. Neon theme complete with glow
sticks.

Getting ready for the Skills State meeting.

With temps reaching around 100, students can enjoy the indoor/outdoor
pool.

SkillsUSA Michigan chapter welcomed the students coming in from
Michigan to Nationals and drove us via charter bus to the Westin.

Kira Letzgus and Josh Blair, in St. Louis waiting for the flight out
to Kansas City.

Live from Nationals!

Live from Kemper Arena:

SkillsUSA in collaboration with School Video News will broadcast the pre-event activities and the entire opening and awards ceremonies on-line. This first-ever live streaming will feature interviews with students and delegates, capture the exciting on-the-floor activities, and give family, friends and sponsors the opportunity to watch students as they receive their awards. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the action.

To view the SkillsUSA Opening Ceremony broadcast on Tuesday, June 23rd beginning at 6:00 p.m. CST, go to: 
 
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/skillsusa09-opening  

To view the SkillsUSA Award Ceremony broadcast on Friday, June 26th beginning at 5:00 p.m. CST, go to:
 
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/skillsusa09-awards
 
Can’t watch at these times? Both events will be available by clicking the same links after 24 hours and on http://www.youtube.com/.
 

Make sure to tell your friends and family to watch these exciting events!

For more up-to-date information on these broadcasts and other information that relate to the competitions, visit thehttp://www.skillsnewsletter.com/for SkillsUSA students.  

For a FREE subscription to School Video News including the new Electronic Communications Newsletter for SkillsUSA participants, http://www.school-video-news.com/