link to Connecticut Technical High School System web site
Vinal Technical High School, 60 Daniels Street, Middletown, CT 06457
 
Telephone: (860) 344-7100, FAX: (860) 344-2622

 

SkillsUSA Pre-qualification Exams and the 31st Annual CT SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conferencee

Any 10th, 11th, and 12th grade student interested in competing in the 31st Annual Connecticut SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference which will be held on Friday, March 28, 2008,  MUST take a pre-qualification exam to compete in any trade event. The exam is an online test based on theory for each technology area and can be taken during technology cycles only.  If seniors are interested in competing, please see Mrs. Leahy or Mr. Faenza to arrange for a time to take the exam.  The testing window is February 1st to February 28th.  Tenth and eleventh grade students will test during their next technology cycle beginning on February 11th.  Parents are asked to encourage their sons and daughters to take the exam to qualify to compete.  Competitors in trade events have opportunities to win scholarships, receive tools for their trade, and make business and industry contacts.  All 1st place winners in any event with the exception of the Freshman Leadership Series are then eligible to travel to Kansas City, Missouri in June to compete in the National SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference against other students from all over the country.  Vinal Tech has had the highest number of state champions going to Kansas City since 2001.  We have had the privilege of taking 10 to 20 state champions every year to the national conference.  The group of students going to KC has been a mixture of trade and leadership state champions.

 

Vinal Tech is the host facility for the conference this year.   

We would like to encourage students who may not be eligible to compete in their trade areas to try their hand at competing in a leadership event.  Leadership events are open to ALL students and do not require a pre-qualification exam.  The leadership events that students may compete in are: 

  • Job Interview
  • Job Skill Demo A
  • Job Skill Demo Open
  • Quiz Bowl (A team of 5 students is needed for this event)
  • Community Service (A team of 3 students is needed to create and present a PowerPoint presentation based on all of our community service activities for the year)
  • Promotional Bulletin Board
  • Prepared Speech
  • Extemporaneous Speaking
  • Related Technical Math
  • Freshman Leadership Series (Open to 9th graders only!)

Any student interested in competing in any leadership event listed above MUST see Mrs. Leahy or Mr. Balch immediately so that preparation time is adequate.  Technical standards are available and explanation of the events can be obtained by students contacting Mrs. Leahy or Mr. Balch.   

If parents desire any further information on the SkillsUSA conference you may email one of the advisors.

Michele Leahy  - michele.leahy@ct.gov

William Balch – william.balch@ct.gov

william.balch@ct.gov 

If you would like to learn more about the Vinal Tech SkillsUSA chapter, the state or national conference you can visit the websites.

Vinal Tech SkillsUSA – www.cttech.org/vinal click on the link for Student Activities and then the link for SkillsUSA 

CT SkillsUSA – www.cttech.org/skillsusavica www.cttech.org/skillsusavica 

National SkillsUSA – www.skillsusa.org

www.skillsusa.org