Friday Flash
Scholarships Offered to CNC National Competitors
NIMS and the Gene Haas Foundation (GHF), which provides scholarships to schools for students entering technical training programs, are partnering to provide scholarship funds directly to the near-future workforce. Scholarships will be given to select SkillsUSA students who represent some of the nation's top young talent in precision machining and metalworking.
The GHF-NIMS SkillsUSA Scholarship Program will award over $200,000 to students competing in three manufacturing events at the 52nd annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC) in Louisville, Ky., June 20-24. Competitors include high-school and college students from all 50 states who have won their SkillsUSA state competitions in CNC Technician, CNC Milling Specialist and CNC Turning Specialist.
Upon their arrival at NLSC, competitors will be eligible to receive a $1,000 scholarship award recognizing their success. Medalists at each of the three competitions at each level will receive awards in the following amounts: gold: $4,000; silver: $3,000; and bronze: $2,000.
The scholarship program is part of a larger partnership led by GHF and NIMS to help more students prepare for success in precision manufacturing careers by gaining industry-recognized credentials at high schools and colleges. GHF and NIMS have provided more than $1.8 million to schools and students since the program launched in 2014. As a result, more education programs are providing high-quality training, and more individuals are gaining the skills and credentials they need for success in the workplace.
NIMS (National Institute for Metalworking Skills) was formed in 1994 by metalworking trade associations. NIMS sets skills standards for the industry, certifies individual skills against the standards and accredits training programs that meet NIMS quality requirements.
Great Values for Your End-of-Year Budget Spending
Many school systems require instructors to expend all the funds in their consumable budgets before the end of the school year. If you have budget dollars remaining, consider using them for SkillsUSA educational resources. Materials such as Quotes to Results and RESOLUTE: Ethics at Work will make great additions to your classroom resource items. For SkillsUSA chapter resources, consider purchasing Jumpstart, Propel, Accelerate, Ignite or any of the Leveraging Your Leadership (LYL) Series books. The ultimate in chapter officer preparation is the LYL Series Officer Mega Package. Learn about these educational resources and a whole host of others by visiting the SkillsUSA Store at: www.skillsusa.org/store/index.html.
Support SkillsUSA Alumni for a Chance to Win a Harley
Thanks to a generous donation by Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Inc., SkillsUSA will be raffling off a Softail Slim S motorcycle to benefit its Alumni and Friends Association. Tickets are $5 each or five tickets for $20. The winner does not need to be present for the drawing, which will be at the national conference awards ceremony June 24 in Louisville, Ky.
Tickets can be purchased here: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/harleytickets.
'Like the Brightest Star in the Galaxy …'
Combine newly digitized SkillsUSA Champions magazine and an incredible lesson plan and you have the secret to success! The magazine makes for a great interactive experience for students, and the lesson plans have exactly what teachers are looking for: purpose and educational value. Use the lesson plan below as an integral part of your career and technical education program.
Quick link: http://read.nxtbook.com/mercury/skillsusa/champions_summer_2016/index.html#like_the_brightest_star
Content Discussion Questions
1. How did SkillsUSA help Tom Hahn to grow personally?
2. What led to Hahn's participation in the Automotive Service Technology competition?
3. Who pushes you to succeed in school? In SkillsUSA? In the workplace?
In-Class Activity, 13 minutes
Workplace Skills: Leadership; coaches others to high performance
Materials Needed: Paper (one piece per student) and writing utensil (one per student)
Prior to the session, post these questions on the writing surface:
• Name the five richest people in the world.
• Name the last five World Series champions.
• Name the last five NCAA basketball champions.
• Name five United States senators.
Give these instructions:
1. Individually, answer these questions on a piece of paper.
2. You have three minutes to work.
After three minutes, give further instructions:
1. How did you do? Not many people would do very well.
2. Let's take another quiz.
3. You have five minutes.
Post these questions on the writing surface:
• List three teachers who have helped you in school.
• Name three friends who have helped you during a tough time.
• Name five people who have taught you something valuable.
• Name one person who has made you feel special.
• Name one person who you like to spend time with.
• Name three people who have inspired you.
After five minutes, facilitate a discussion by asking questions including:
• Which quiz was easier, and why?
• What is the key point to be learned from these two quizzes? (People who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most money, most awards or the most famous. People who make difference in your life are the ones that care.)
• When do we coach others in school? In SkillsUSA? In the workplace?
• How do we coach others to high performance in school? In SkillsUSA? In the workplace?
• How can we personally be more coachable?
Extended Learning Activity
Workplace Skills: Leadership; builds positive relationships
Match each student with a career mentor in the career field of his or her choice. The career mentors may be local professionals, or long-distance professionals can be used with technology such as FaceTime or Skype. Arrange weekly or monthly mentoring sessions. Prepare mentors and students with a list of suggested topics for each session.
Foundation Awards HVACR Scholarships to National Competitors
The Rees Scholarship Foundation is excited to continue its close association with SkillsUSA by providing scholarships for all finalists in the national Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration competition. The foundation launched this effort in 2015 to support SkillsUSA's mission. Gold-, silver- and bronze-level HVACR prize winners will receive Rees scholarships for $2,000, $1,000 and $750 respectively, and each finalist will receive $500.
The Rees Scholarship Foundation was established in 2003 by the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) to recognize deserving students pursuing careers as technicians in the HVACR and water heating industry. "The SkillsUSA conference is recognized industrywide as one of the best tools to attract young people to the trades and particularly HVACR and water heating," said Stephen Yurek, AHRI president and CEO. "We are proud to support this program and the students who already excel." Since its inception in 2003, the foundation has awarded nearly $440,000 to more than 250 deserving students.
For more information, please visit the Rees website at: www.Reesscholarship.org.
Scholarships Available for State Winners from mikeroweWORKS Foundation
The mikeroweWORKS Foundation, in partnership with SkillsUSA, is proud to offer a scholarship opportunity for SkillsUSA members who have competed and placed first in their state competition. These scholarship programs assist eligible students who are pursuing an education in a vocational or similar trade-related program. This year, the foundation's priority focus is on high-school and college/postsecondary students working toward careers in manufacturing, construction, automotive, engineering and STEM-related trades.
Awards are based on a student-written, one-page narrative describing the student's financial need for the scholarship, including the lack of school or community resources. Students may be nominated with a letter of recommendation written by their SkillsUSA advisor or state association director. Applications should be sent to SkillsUSA headquarters for review and determination. They must be received by Friday, May 27 (midnight EDT). The national headquarters will notify the winners the following week.
For complete information and online application, visit: www.skillsusa.org/membership-resources/scholarships-financial-aid/the-mikeroweworks-foundation-competitor-scholarship/
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