AFCEA sponsors first overseas regional SkillsUSA competition

Members of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Chapter 158 and local professionals established the very first Kaiserslautern Military Community regional SkillsUSA competition at the Armstrong’s Club on Vogelweh Military Complex, April 21.

SkillsUSA is the largest career and technical student organization of its kind, supporting over 100 industry-driven skill and leadership contests.  Approximately 300,000 students compete annually in SkillsUSA competitions, but only the top 6,000 students will make it to the national finals.  Students from high schools located in Kaiserslautern, Ramstein, and Baumholder had the unique opportunity to compete in this first overseas regional competition with hopes to move on to both state and national events.

Nine exciting career and technical education contests were held for participating Department of Defense Dependents Schools high school students. The contests included: Engineering technology design, information technology design, television video production, culinary arts, nurse assisting, web design, 3-D animation, computer applications, and advertising design.

Industry professionals from AFCEA, Microsoft, American Forces Network, and many others worked with DoDDS CTE teachers for approximately five months to design the competitions.  Each competition leveraged the skills learned throughout the course of the school year culminating in an exciting hands-on, real-world contest.  Each participant received a free $15 SkillsUSA membership and T-shirt, courtesy of AFCEA.  Prizes were also awarded to the top three winners for each contest.

This year’s competition first place winners are as follows:

• Engineering Technology Design –
  Mauricio Barajas and Markus Manz
• Information Technology Services – Marianna Bifulco and Ian Moore
• Television Video Production –
  Kevin Pendergrass and Ivan Garcia
• Culinary Arts –
  Madeline Harbach and Lala Grounds
• Nurse Assisting –
  Aaron Valentine
• Web Design – Tyler Palam
• 3-D Animation –
  Maggie Thatcher
• Computer Applications – Sarah Bult
• Advertising Design –
  Kyle Henley

For more information about next year’s SkillsUSA regional competition, please contact your local AFCEA chapter – www.kaiserslautern.afceachapters.org.