A sample template release is on the SkillsUSA advocacy site. It’s a template to be used by state association directors, instructors and others to get the word out to the media and Congress about the students who qualified to compete or won in the state SkillsUSA Championships. The news release can be sent to local news media through the advocacy site, five outlets at a time. It is also possible to send the release to your U.S. Senators and Representatives. The site can be reached by going to: www.skillsusa.org/about/policy.shtml and clicking on “advocacy site.” Please encourage your teachers to use this valuable tool to promote their students and instructional programs.
SkillsUSA Competitor News Release Template
April 15th, 2013Highlights
August 15th, 2012- Newly-elected board President, James King, paid a visit to the SkillsUSA National Leadership Center on August 8-9. He participated in our monthly staff meeting and NLSC debriefing. He also spent time with individual staff during his time with us. We very much enjoyed his visit.
- Letters have been faxed to Members of Congress, governors and state CTE directors, along with medalist and Skill Point recipient news releases. They were sent out in record time this year, well in advance of the congressional recess. Staff reports we’ve received many requests from Members for home addresses so they can send letters of commendation.
- Staff traveled to Snap-on headquarters in Kenosha last week to continue planning for the Champion of the Year Dinner where Snap-on CEO, Nick Pinchuk, will be honored on September 18. And, staff met with Bosch at their Chicago headquarters on August 9 to discuss our partnership moving into the future.
Sample Press Release for NLSC Competitors and Participants Reminder
July 12th, 2012A sample press release has been added to SkillsUSA’s advocacy site. It’s a template to be used by state association directors, instructors, parents and others to help get the word out to the media about the students who competed or participated in some other way (i.e., as a delegate, Courtesy Corps member, etc.) during the National Leadership and Skills Conference.
The press release can be sent to five media outlets at a time through the advocacy site.
Be sure to spread the word about this valuable tool.
CBS Radio Interview
December 31st, 2011On December 4, CBS Radio (KFWB News Talk 980-AM in Los Angeles) aired an hour-long interview with Jim Lentz of Toyota, Victoria Holbert, our high school national president and me on a program entitled “Unfinished Business.” The subject revolved around training, CTE and what Toyota is doing with SkillsUSA to prepare America’s skilled workforce. The invitation was a direct result of the Champion of the Year dinner attended by Renee Fraser, president and CEO of a communications firm that does a lot of work with Toyota.
Renee and her partner conducted the interview and commented that they were surprised they’d never heard of SkillsUSA. Jim Lentz, who had many wonderful things to say about Toyota’s support of SkillsUSA said something to the effect: “If you look at how SkillsUSA is spending its budget, 93 percent is going back to support their members at the local level not into marketing and PR. It’s up to corporations like Toyota to get SkillsUSA exposure. That’s one of the reasons we’re here talking now.” He also stressed that auto service technicians at Toyota are in good middle-class jobs and some technicians are making “in the six figures.” The link to the interview is on SkillsUSA’s website at: www.skillsusa.org/about/news.shtml.
Highlights
May 1st, 2011- The final membership count is in. Regular membership totals 300,985 and alumni membership is 19,302 for a grand total of 320,287. The final membership report is being printed.
- And, I recently had the opportunity to appear on the radio program The Money Pit. It is a nationally syndicated, call-in radio show that helps listeners with their home repair and improvement problems. You can listen to a podcast of the interview here: http://www.skillsusa.org/blog/?p=1560. The Money Pit has consistently been named among “America’s 100 Most Important Radio Shows” by Talkers magazine. It’s been on the air for over ten years, and is now carried on over 260 radio affiliates across the nation, as well as on XM satellite radio. Each week, Tom Kraeutler and Leslie Segrete take dozens of calls from listeners who ask about everything from pest problems to deck dilemmas. Their combined experience and expertise allow them to offer solutions to a wide range of problems immediately. If they aren’t sure how to help, which is rare, they can always point callers in the right direction.
The Money Pit
April 26th, 2011I recently had the opportunity to appear on the radio program The Money Pit. It is a nationally syndicated, call-in radio show that helps listeners with their home repair and improvement problems.
The interview can be heard here: The Money Pit interview with Tim Lawrence
The Money Pit has consistently been named among “America’s 100 Most Important Radio Shows” by Talkers magazine. It’s been on the air for over ten years, and is now carried on over 260 radio affiliates across the nation, as well as on XM satellite radio. Each week, Tom Kraeutler and Leslie Segrete take dozens of calls from listeners who ask about everything from pest problems to deck dilemmas. Their combined experience and expertise allow them to offer solutions to a wide range of problems immediately. If they aren’t sure how to help, which is rare, they can always point callers in the right direction.
Engineering Alliance is Launched
March 15th, 2010Advance notice went to the state association directors on February 25 that the Web site for Engineering Alliance was live. To see the site, go to www.engineeringalliance.org. Project Lead The Way (PLTW) sent announcement e-mail from John Lock, CEO, on March 4 to PLTW school administrators and instructors.
SkillsUSA sent out the news release announcing the Engineering Alliance to 477 editors and reporters in the education press and a list of education and engineering trade publications created specifically for the Engineering Alliance. The release also was sent out on PR Web through our SkillsUSA service, and we know that in over 24 hours, there were nearly 64,500 headline impressions and 790 full-page reads on the World Wide Web. Here’s the link to the release: http://www.skillsusa.org/downloads/PDF/pressreleases/engalliance.pdf.
