Region Champs to State Competition
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Here at University High School some of our students participate in a leadership organization called SkillsUSA.
A little something about SkillsUSA With three levels of skill and leadership competition, SkillsUSA encourages growth through participation in leadership and skill activities to enhance classroom learning. Here is a link if you would like to check them out. http://www.skillsusa.org
Some or our activities include group resume writing, mock interviews, building team websites for businesses in our community and more. Students learn how to present themselves in professional environments creating our future leaders.
This is an excerpt from a student’s website they just created in class which they included in one of their personal essays. They were not prompted to write this. She came to this country when she was 9 years old, not knowing the language and had a very hard time. She is now an 11th grader here at our High School.
“I've been trying to not be shy anymore, to speak in public but I can't because of a bad experience. My cousins used to laugh because I didn't speak English fluently like they did and I can't forget that experience.
All of those experiences had made me stronger and I know some day I will be able to forget the past. Not so long ago I was in a competition in SkillsUSA and it was a very good experience. While I was in that competition I recalled my past and something funny happened...I felt free, I felt confident and I said to myself. I can do this, this is the time where I get to show everyone that I am not weak"
Our students competed this year in the Web Design category using HTML coding and Pin Design/T-Shirt design category, placing in both! We are trying to send the two teams that placed in Web Design and one other student that competed by himself in the Pin/T-Shirt design category. A total of five students will be going to the State if we can raise the money.
They will be representing our Region in the State Championship in San Diego this April. If they place in State they will be invited to go to the National Championships in Kentucky! This is a huge honor and an amazing opportunity. We are trying to raise money for their expenses which will cover lodging and food. Everything else has been provided by our school district.
We need help because we are a Title One school so these students can't afford to cover their own expenses. We are currently selling popcorn, cotton candy and anything else that is appropriate to raise money and would really appreciate your support. We will need this money by April 15th to make sure we have enough for our students to go.
One of the reasons this means so much to me when I was in my mid 30's my husband walked off and left my children and myself penniless. We ended up on welfare and foodstamps. My entire life I had been told I did not amount to anything. I felt completely worthless. I went back to school to upgrade my computer skills and learn some design programs. The YMCA at the time generously gave us a scholarship for daycare. While studying at the East Los Angeles Occupational Center, my teacher, Irene Saavedra registered me for what was called VICA, Vocational Industrial Clubs of America which is now called SkillsUSA. I competed in the Regional Competition for secondary education in Job Skill Demo. I won a gold medal, I went on to the State Championship and won a Silver medal.
Being involved and competing in SkillsUSA changed my life, and gave me the confidence to become who I am today, a teacher of 20 years and a mother to two wonderful children. I actually had a prospective employer tell me I was too good at the interview and no one else had a chance. That was because of my experience in VICA.
Today I teach Web Design and Traditional and Computer Animation to high school students. I wrote the course outlines for Traditional and Computer Animation for LAUSD and the Regional Occupational Program. I am a teacher that loves their students and wants the best for them. Once they are in my room, they are my kid for life! I want them to know, feel and hear what I did not receive until I was 40 years old, that they can be and do anything they choose with hard, smart work and dedication and that I believe in them and want the best for them. Hopefully they learn to believe in themselves and never give up on their dreams, that anything worth having is worth a bit of effort. I want them to know they are worthy, wonderful amazing people and have a right to joy and happiness!
I will be so grateful if we can raise this money so these students can go and be their all at this competition without worrying about their financial situation or not going because their families can't afford to send them.
Thank-you so much for hearing me out! I hope you will donate something. Even $5 or $10 will help, more if you are able. It all adds up and will help the kids realize their dream. Please share this post on your Facebook with your family and friends and through email. If by some chance we make more than we need, it will go into a trust fund here at the high school for their future events
Thank-you so much,
Danna
A little something about SkillsUSA With three levels of skill and leadership competition, SkillsUSA encourages growth through participation in leadership and skill activities to enhance classroom learning. Here is a link if you would like to check them out. http://www.skillsusa.org
Some or our activities include group resume writing, mock interviews, building team websites for businesses in our community and more. Students learn how to present themselves in professional environments creating our future leaders.
This is an excerpt from a student’s website they just created in class which they included in one of their personal essays. They were not prompted to write this. She came to this country when she was 9 years old, not knowing the language and had a very hard time. She is now an 11th grader here at our High School.
“I've been trying to not be shy anymore, to speak in public but I can't because of a bad experience. My cousins used to laugh because I didn't speak English fluently like they did and I can't forget that experience.
All of those experiences had made me stronger and I know some day I will be able to forget the past. Not so long ago I was in a competition in SkillsUSA and it was a very good experience. While I was in that competition I recalled my past and something funny happened...I felt free, I felt confident and I said to myself. I can do this, this is the time where I get to show everyone that I am not weak"
Our students competed this year in the Web Design category using HTML coding and Pin Design/T-Shirt design category, placing in both! We are trying to send the two teams that placed in Web Design and one other student that competed by himself in the Pin/T-Shirt design category. A total of five students will be going to the State if we can raise the money.
They will be representing our Region in the State Championship in San Diego this April. If they place in State they will be invited to go to the National Championships in Kentucky! This is a huge honor and an amazing opportunity. We are trying to raise money for their expenses which will cover lodging and food. Everything else has been provided by our school district.
We need help because we are a Title One school so these students can't afford to cover their own expenses. We are currently selling popcorn, cotton candy and anything else that is appropriate to raise money and would really appreciate your support. We will need this money by April 15th to make sure we have enough for our students to go.
One of the reasons this means so much to me when I was in my mid 30's my husband walked off and left my children and myself penniless. We ended up on welfare and foodstamps. My entire life I had been told I did not amount to anything. I felt completely worthless. I went back to school to upgrade my computer skills and learn some design programs. The YMCA at the time generously gave us a scholarship for daycare. While studying at the East Los Angeles Occupational Center, my teacher, Irene Saavedra registered me for what was called VICA, Vocational Industrial Clubs of America which is now called SkillsUSA. I competed in the Regional Competition for secondary education in Job Skill Demo. I won a gold medal, I went on to the State Championship and won a Silver medal.
Being involved and competing in SkillsUSA changed my life, and gave me the confidence to become who I am today, a teacher of 20 years and a mother to two wonderful children. I actually had a prospective employer tell me I was too good at the interview and no one else had a chance. That was because of my experience in VICA.
Today I teach Web Design and Traditional and Computer Animation to high school students. I wrote the course outlines for Traditional and Computer Animation for LAUSD and the Regional Occupational Program. I am a teacher that loves their students and wants the best for them. Once they are in my room, they are my kid for life! I want them to know, feel and hear what I did not receive until I was 40 years old, that they can be and do anything they choose with hard, smart work and dedication and that I believe in them and want the best for them. Hopefully they learn to believe in themselves and never give up on their dreams, that anything worth having is worth a bit of effort. I want them to know they are worthy, wonderful amazing people and have a right to joy and happiness!
I will be so grateful if we can raise this money so these students can go and be their all at this competition without worrying about their financial situation or not going because their families can't afford to send them.
Thank-you so much for hearing me out! I hope you will donate something. Even $5 or $10 will help, more if you are able. It all adds up and will help the kids realize their dream. Please share this post on your Facebook with your family and friends and through email. If by some chance we make more than we need, it will go into a trust fund here at the high school for their future events
Thank-you so much,
Danna
Organizer
Danna Coonen
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA