Fantastic (and Magical) Time Just North of Philly
On Feb. 2 and 3 I attended the Pennsylvania Region 2 conference at Bucks County Technical High School. It was an excellent event loaded with spirit and enthusiasm, great meals, sessions, competitions and an outstanding awards ceremony. One of the many highlights for me was judging the Extemporaneous Speech contest. The topic was “What would you like to tell President Obama?” One student said: “I’d tell him how SkillsUSA has changed my life.” Another said: “I’m happy to see a president elected who looks like me. It gives me a whole new perspective on my future.”
There was another magical moment. A few days before the conference, the local newspaper published an article about the upcoming conference. It included a quote from chapter advisor Gail Watts who said the biggest challenge in putting on the conference was fielding enough volunteer judges. Wonder of wonders, on Wednesday morning there they were. Hundreds of people from local businesses and the military showed up to volunteer. That outpouring of support was proof of how highly regarded the Bucks County Technical High School is in the community. It also showed the importance of SkillsUSA as a catalyst of support from both the private and public sectors for what career and technical education does for students.
I also had a great time meeting with our Pennsylvania state association director, Jeri Widdowson, and being upstaged by the Philadelphia Phillies mascot, the Philly Fanatic, during the opening session. It was a fantastic time north of Philly.
Tags: State Conferences
