Seven high school students and four adult education students from EHOVE Career Center attended the SkillsUSA National Competition in Atlanta, GA this June. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. The Ohio chapter provides its 31,500+ career-technical education members, which includes many EHOVE students, the opportunity to participate in local, regional, state and national competitive events, and encourages students to give back to the community through various community service activities. For more information, go to www.skillsusa.org.
EHOVE Collision & Refinishing junior Mollie Tucker (Edison HS) brought home a National Championship gold in the Collision Damage Appraisal category. She qualified for the national competition by finishing first in the Ohio’s SkillsUSA State Competition earlier this year, and prepared for it by working with 2022 National Runner-up Sasha Drew. An executive member of EHOVE's student-led SkillsUSA chapter, Mollie plans to compete again next year and will continue studying in EHOVE's Collision & Refinishing program for her senior year while also working at Angie’s Body and Frame Inc. in Norwalk.
“I think it’s so cool what she did,” said Mollie’s mom, Katie Tucker who said they were excited to be able to watch her win on a livestream of the competition. “Her coworkers gave her tips and her dad, Nick, gave her lots of reminders. I think it all helped and we’re so glad to see her doing these awesome things.”
"Mollie is a hard worker who takes pride in everything she participates in," said EHOVE Assistant Director Charlie Warthling who oversees EHOVE's SkillsUSA chapter. "Our students are competing against many other talented career tech students throughout the country, so it's quite an accomplishment for a junior to win the state and national titles."
From the high school, Computer & Networking Technologies senior Justin Lewis (Vermilion HS) competed in the Internetworking category and Medical Careers senior Kylia Cooper (Bellevue HS) competed in the Health Portfolio category. Firefighter/EMT senior Timothy Kelley (Margaretta HS) served as a voting delegate helping to decide next year’s SkillsUSA National leadership.
A team of three seniors from EHOVE's Criminal Justice program, Leanna Marianek (Perkins HS), Tyson Raymond (Bellevue HS) and Sancea Torres (Edison HS) showcased their project that featured EHOVE's Friday Experience Community Service project. Friday Experience was created to give students new opportunities and try new things outside of the classroom on a dedicated school day. Students had a variety of activity choices including volunteering with OHgo, working with professional fitness trainers at T3 Performance, learning about art and architecture at the Allen Memorial Art Museum, touring greenhouses and planting vegetable at Bellwether Farm, discovering how to be a smart car shopper with Firelands Auto Group, learning how to golf at Thunderbird Hills Golf Course, touring the islands to learn about the local history, and several other opportunities to get involved with new skills and area businesses and organizations.
"We're very proud of all of our students who worked hard throughout the year to compete on the local, regional, state and national levels," said Warthling. "It's great to see them showcase the skills they learn at EHOVE and their work-based learning experiences in the community, and be recognized for all they've accomplished."
Adult Education Cosmetology students Erin Wise and Mayli Austin, both of Norwalk, and Madeline McClellan and Mija Yost-Frame, both of Sandusky, competed in the Esthetics, Barbering, Nail Care and Cosmetology category, respectively. Austin achieved 5th place in her category while Wise and McClellan finished seventh in each of their categories.
Photos:
Mollie Tucker (center) on the SkillsUSA National Competition podium after being awarded her gold medal for winning the Collision Damage Appraisal category.
Mollie Tucker at the competition location near a sign describing the category
Adult Education Students - Group: The students and their Cosmetology Program Coordinator Deb Bunting at the awards ceremony.
Photos of each student in their EHOVE career tech program’s lab are shown in this order: High school students Mollie Tucker, Timothy Kelley, Tyson Raymond, Sancea Torres, Leanna Marianek, Justin Lewis and Kylia Cooper, and Adult Education students Erin Wise, Madeline McClellan, Mayli Austin and Mija Yost-Frame.
