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Students attend conference

Published: Thursday, November 19, 2009
Updated: Thursday, November 19, 2009 10:54 AM CST

UniTec officers pose with State SkillsUSA Director Paul Light at the SkillsUSA District Fall Leadership Conference at Jefferson College. - Submitted photo

UniTec Career Center students recently attended the SkillsUSA District Fall Leadership Conference at Jefferson College.

SkillsUSA members and officers from the region gathered so that students could meet one another and develop leadership skills.

The UniTec officers from the morning and afternoon sessions who attended this conference were Presidents Isaiah Goesmann and Alison Fischbeck; Vice-Presidents Kelly Crocker and Holly Barton; Secretaries Kayla Doss and Austin Guyan; Treasurers Lacey Cassidy, Rilie Thurman, and Taylor Urfer; Reporters Ashley Cantrell and Crystal Waters; Parliamentarians Taylor Jaco and Luke Clifford; Historians Chala Doss and Ryan Belfield; and Officer at Large Joe Dane.

The students participated in many activities throughout the day to develop and promote team building and leadership skills.

UniTec students worked in teams with other students from the career centers in Arcadia Valley, Cape Girardeau, Jefferson College, and Perryville. In addition to these activities, the students also earned their statesman’s pin by learning more about SkillsUSA.

SkillsUSA is a national organization of people involved in career and technical education. SkillsUSA is the only organization whose purpose is to serve students preparing for technical, skilled and service careers, including health sciences. SkillsUSA’s mission is to help its members become world-class workers and responsible American citizens. It enhances the lives and careers of students — and the quality of America’s skilled work force — by fostering citizenship, employability and occupational skills through career-focused education and industry partnerships.

Students were required to learn the purpose and mission for this national organization along with its creed, the emblem, motto, code of conduct, and pledge.

One officer said, “We enjoyed meeting officers from the other career centers and felt like we learned to work as a team to accomplish a goal.”

Another said they were also impressed with the SkillsUSA official opening and closing ceremonies.

This leadership conference is one of many opportunities throughout the year for the students at UniTec to participate in SkillsUSA activities.

The club recently conducted a winter clothing drive for their first community service project and has started their annual canned food drive for the holiday season.