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Lowe's Grants for 2010
2010 Lowe's SkillsUSA Community Service Grant Schools
Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation is awarding service grants of up to $10,000 each to 16 local SkillsUSA chapters for innovative projects or enhancements within their communities. Here are the projects:
Alabama
Muscle Shoals Center for Technology in Muscle Shoals
SkillsUSA membership: 64 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members met with the Muscle Shoals Park and Recreation Director to discuss needs for the local parks. Currently, the department is constructing a splash pad at Gattman Park. This park is the only one in the city and is a focal point in the area. The SkillsUSA members agreed to and will construct an irrigation system and landscaping for the new splash pad.
Arkansas
Har-Ber High School in Springdale
SkillsUSA membership: 49 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members are constructing a Katrina Cottage. The students are constructing the entire house down to the light fixtures. Additionally, the family and consumer science, TV production, architectural drafting and geometry teachers are using the project as a learning lab for their students. Since beginning the project, the Skills USA advisor has been contacted by several contractors in the area to hire students from the program once they graduate.
Colorado
Florence High School in Florence
SkillsUSA membership: 8 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members have been constructing homes for several years at Florence High School. This grant will allow them to move toward making the home green built. They will attach a Photo Voltaic solar system to the house currently being built. They will also use extensive insulation, energy star appliances and high-efficiency furnaces and would like to add a renewable energy to the mix.
Indiana
Four County Area Vocational Cooperative in Kendallville
SkillsUSA membership: 116 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members will build an energy-efficient, environmentally green home designed by FCAVC students. This project will be built on donated land in one of the school communities for a family in need as chosen by a local selection committee. The students complete every aspect of the building project and use these transferable skills in the selected SkillsUSA competitions.
Kansas
Broadmoor Technical Center, Shawnee Mission School District in Overland Park
SkillsUSA membership: 53 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members voted to organize and administer a “Learn and Earn” Day. The students want to give back to their younger counterparts in the school district by inviting them for a free fun and rewarding day where the students can learn a skill in the various training programs offered at Broadmoor. In addition, if they happen to be a boy or girl scout, they can also earn various scout badges that correlate with the training programs at Broadmoor.
Kentucky
Sullivan College of Technology and Design in Louisville
SkillsUSA membership: 18 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members in various training programs are partnering with the Center of Hope, a Salvation Army homeless shelter. The facility is in great need of remodeling, repair, freshening, paint, window treatments, recreational space for the children and functional office space. The ceilings are damaged and crumbling, floors are peeling, surveillance equipment does not work, lighting is poor, and the space is dark and dismal. The students have already held a successful blanket drive, the computer-engineering students have dismantled the surveillance equipments and started the repair work, and the networking students have repaired and donated three computers to the center. The CADD and Interior Design students have redesigned the office areas to accommodate more people and to provide a play area for the children. The Graphics students have created a new logo and are developing flyers, brochures and PSAs for the center, while the Web development students are completing a new website for the center. The grant will allow the students to complete the remodeling project from top to bottom and will be capped off by helping to serve holiday meals at the center.
Missouri
Current River Career Center in Doniphan
SkillsUSA membership: 73 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members will build two enclosed recycling trailers to use in the community to expand the recycling program. Currently, the recycling trailer is only in the community one weekend a month. The trailers currently used are 17 years old and in need of repair and replacement. When the chapter builds the trailers, the recycling company has agreed to provide delivery and pick-up service so the recycling trailers can stay in the community all the time and be available 24/7 to the community. They will also purchase recycling containers for the schools and the community to encourage more recycling.
Nebraska
Metropolitan Community College in Omaha
SkillsUSA membership: 85 students and teachers
“Metropolitan Community College (MCC) Cares” is a service-learning initiative dedicated to construction-related community service opportunities in the Omaha area. As part of two 11-week MCC green construction courses, MCC students will be provided with foundational instruction in residential energy audits, home weatherization and sustainable landscaping, followed by instructor supervised, hands-on service learning in four area homes. Omaha Public School students will simultaneously provide similar introductory instruction, supported by MCC SkillsUSA student mentors. These high school students will join the MCC students and community volunteers in the hands-on service learning at four area homes.
New Mexico
New Mexico State University in Grants
SkillsUSA membership: 25 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members will purchase a bio-diesel processor kit that will be used to take waste oil from local restaurants and convert it into bio-diesel to power automobiles. The majority of this semester will be spent experimenting with refining the process and troubleshooting the use of bio-diesel. The eventual goal is to generate enough interest in bio-diesel that local municipalities and organizations will begin converting vehicles to bio-diesel. The chapter will also purchase a diesel-powered truck that SkillsUSA members will convert into a bio-diesel powered truck. The truck will be used as a “Bio-Mobile” at a mobile-learning center to educate the community.
North Carolina
NF Woods Advanced Technology and Arts Center in Mooresville
SkillsUSA membership: 14 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members will build a two-story structure that will be known as the Town Hall as part of the regional young children’s museum being built for the North Mechlenburg/South Iredell families with children from birth to second grade. The building will be located on the Town Green, which is the center and heart of the museum. At one end of the Town Green will be a two-story play structure and at the other end is the Town Hall. The Town Hall will house the performing arts stage, professional puppet theatre and more.
Oklahoma
Kiamichi Technology Center in Poteau
SkillsUSA membership: 321 students and teachers
Poteau, Oklahoma’s claim to fame is Cavanal Hill that is billed as the “World’s Highest Hill.” SkillsUSA members will partner with the Poteau Chamber of Commerce to improve the vista area of the hill for a tourism site. Students in welding, electrical and service careers will be involved in the project that will consist of new trash can containers, picnic table, benches, sidewalks, view-finder foundation, lighting and landscaping.
Tennessee
Tennessee Technology Center in Dickson
SkillsUSA membership: 475 students and teachers
SkillsUSA chapter members will beautify the grounds at a local building that has been an icon in Dickson County for many years. The War Memorial building has been the focal point of numerous community events in downtown Dickson. Old Timer’s Day, an annual celebration in May, is centered on this historical building. The project will assist in elevating the building back to its former splendor, reminiscent of its glory days.
Tennessee Technology Center in Huntsville
SkillsUSA membership: 266 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members set out to alleviate the problem of obesity at a new local school with one of the highest percentages of free lunches in Tennessee and parents with lowest per-capita income. The TTC Drafting/CAD program will design fitness equipment for an outdoor exercise/play activity center. The Welding program will fabricate the fitness equipment. The Collision Repair program will paint the fitness equipment in their paint booth. The Scott High School Building Trades class will pour the concrete for the foundation, and TTC SkillsUSA members will landscape and assist in the installation of the exercise/play equipment.
Tennessee Technology Center – Tri County Extension Campus in Red Boiling Springs
SkillsUSA membership: 133 students and teachers
SkillsUSA students and faculty, plus community volunteers and RBS Palace nursing facility employees will construct a gazebo with concrete floor, park benches, and love profile planters. These structures will allow the elderly and disabled patients and their families to plant flowers and vegetables and to enjoy the outdoors.
Texas
St. Philip’s College – SWC campus in San Antonio
SkillsUSA membership: 200 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members will provide housing assistance to two local elderly/disabled persons located near the college campus. The Merced housing project serves its community, based on a guidelines and a defined geographical area. The area around the college is not in the defined service area, but the need is just as great as in other areas of San Antonio. The changing demographics of the southeast and Southside of San Antonio have left an aging population, of whom many are below the poverty level and many face ADA challenges. The typical income is ranges from $6,000-$11,000 annually.
Virginia
Rockbridge County High School in Lexington
SkillsUSA membership: 12 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members in the building trades program will partner with Rockbridge Habitat for Humanity to complete a house that is in progress. They will also build another house on school grounds, and both structures will be moved to building sites in the community. Habitat will provide all the building materials, but they do not provide the tools and equipment needed to do the work. Over the years, the high school’s tools have become worn and in desperate need of replacement, both for the purpose of their proper functioning and for the safety of students.
2010 Lowe’s SkillsUSA
Campus Improvement Grant Schools
SkillsUSA chapters at 17 schools nationwide are now implementing their 2010 Campus Improvement Grants for up to $10,000 for innovative SkillsUSA projects to improve schools or to enhance the student SkillsUSA experience. Here is a summary of the projects:
Alabama
Enterprise High School in Enterprise
SkillsUSA membership: 125 students and teachers
On March 1st 2007, a tornado destroyed Enterprise High School. Eight students were killed by the tornado and 150 were injured. Since that time students have been in portable classroom trailers spread out over four campuses in the community. This fall, the new high school will be completed. This grant will enlist the assistance of Lowe’s team members and transportation to move the remaining equipment to the new school and helps to setup the shops. The grant will also afford the school an opportunity to purchase tools and equipment for the new school.
Arizona
Yuma High School in Yuma
SkillsUSA membership: 31 students and teachers
Students will work collaboratively with campus administration, staff, parents and community business partners to create, implement and maintain a sustainability plan. The focus for improvement of the Yuma High School campus is on adoption, beautification and commitment towards conservation and community involvement. The chapter has set a goal of 10,000 students, parents, staff and community partners to be involved in this sustainability effort.
California
Abram Friedman Occupational Center in Los Angeles
SkillsUSA membership: 18 students and teachers
SkillsUSA energy students will make improvements at AFOC to upgrade energy efficiency in lighting and water conservation. Students will also design and conduct workshops in classes around the school to inform students how to improve energy efficiency in their own homes.
Ramona High School in Ramona
SkillsUSA membership: 60 students and teachers
Students in the architectural design class will help design a new culinary lab, bringing the classroom up to current industry standards. The grant will provide funding for one new restaurant range with griddle and one new stove. Additional funding will provide drainage mats, paint, drywall and tile repair, worktables, replacement dining room tables and chairs, upgrade lighting and shelving upgrades to enhance the program and make the lab more efficient.
San Bernardino Valley College in San Bernardino
SkillsUSA membership: 25 students and teachers
Architecture and Environmental Design students will design a 1,500 square foot raised garden located at the heart of the campus. Culinary Arts students will be responsible for planting, harvesting and management of the garden. In addition to creating a sustainable garden, the students hope to increase awareness of the campus culinary arts program and the architecture and environmental design program.
Georgia
DeKalb High School of Technology South in Decatur
SkillsUSA membership: 91 students and teachers
Students will create the DHSTS Gallery for Graphic Communications/Graphic Design, Video and Interactive Media. The gallery will showcase the students’ work within the school, contribute to the students’ ongoing learning process and entrepreneurship of owning their own gallery one day and create an outlet not only for the students in the school, but other middle and elementary students in the neighborhood.
Kansas
Coffeyville Community College, Columbus Technical Campus in Columbus
SkillsUSA membership: 28 students and teachers
Automotive Service and Collision Repair students will now be able to do more accurate at-the-vehicle estimates to simulate how estimating is currently done in industry with the purchase of a mobile diagnostic station. Currently, students must go back and forth from the car to the classroom to complete an estimate on the desktop computer, which makes the estimating process less accurate.
Maine
Lewiston Regional Technical Center in Lewiston
SkillsUSA membership: 685 students and teachers
Students will transform a current classroom into a career center. In addition to this grant, the career center will provide 16 updated laptop computers for career and college research, career assessments and on-line testing. The center will also be used for student leadership club meetings, guest speakers, employer opportunity presentations and the distance-learning program.
Minnesota
Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount
SkillsUSA membership: 105 students and teachers
SkillsUSA students and outside contractors will construct a 72’x78’ steel structure building with a decorative brick façade that will act as a multi-use facility for their sports programs. The facility will house batting and pitching cages, as well as exercise stations, to accommodate winter practice and training clinics and storage for sports and field maintenance equipment.
Missouri
Grand River Technical School in Chillicothe
SkillsUSA membership: 150 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members will design and build a multi-touch kiosk with an attached display case. The kiosk will be used to inform students, staff and community members about SkillsUSA and the programs available at the school. Information will include SkillsUSA content as well as school content. It will be placed inside the main entrance at the front of the school. This will allow visitors and new students to view information quickly and easily by providing a comprehensive summary about the school.
North Carolina
Pine Forest High School in Fayetteville
SkillsUSA membership: 12 students and teachers
The high school has 361 students at risk for dropping out of school. All staff members have selected students to mentor throughout the year. At the end of last year, 89% of those students stated the program helped them with their grades and stay in school. This year, the program will be expanded by providing the students an opportunity to design an area by the cafeteria with landscaping, plants and tables. This area will be available for the students to meet or eat lunch with their mentors.
Ohio
Cuyahoga Valley Career Center in Brecksville
SkillsUSA membership: 419 students and teachers
The electrical trades program students, with the help of many students, teachers, volunteers and professionals, will construct a core shell structure by using the best practices of sustainability, green building and renewable energy technology. It will teach its participants about the sustainable non-pollutant materials and tools such as solar panels, special insulation and wind turbines.
Oklahoma
Wes Watkins Technology Center
SkillsUSA membership: 105 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members from the architecture and construction, as well as students from the agriculture, food and natural resources career clusters and secondary science education classes, will construct a waterfall/fountain that is eco-friendly and contains green components. The structure will be 11 ft high and 16 ft wide and a campus beautification and renovation project for the courtyard in front of the technology center. The fountain will run primarily on solar and wind energy. It will promote conservation of energy by regulating the amount of water use by decreasing wastewater consumption. Aquatic plants will also be incorporated into the waterfall to simulate an eco-based environment.
Pennsylvania
Huntingdon County Career and Technology Center in Mill Creek
SkillsUSA membership: 200 students and teachers
SkillsUSA members, teachers and administrators will build a sign at the turn-off to the school along a busy highway. The students will build a block foundation and top off the sign with a digital message board. This message board would be used to advertise school events. The area surrounding the sign will be landscaped with pavers and a small patio area.
Tennessee
Tennessee Technology Center at Hohenwald
SkillsUSA membership: 398 students and teachers
The electronics and electro-mechanical technology programs will create a “green power” system utilizing full-size solar panels and a wind turbine. The power generator will be used to power a room that houses the school’s Amateur (HAM) Radio Station, totally removing the room’s power requirements from the grid. The green technology project’s purpose is to reduce the program’s carbon footprint and provide valuable information to the community.
Virginia
Massanutten Technical Center in Harrisonburg
SkillsUSA membership: 105 students and teachers
This project provides enhancements for a 2,000 square foot large animal barn to be built for the veterinary assistant program. Currently, the program has been limited to small animal care; but, in order for students to advance and be employable in the community, they must be able to work effectively with large animals. Although the barn will be constructed by outside professionals, students from trade programs like electricity, carpentry, masonry, drafting, HVAC and welding will be involved in interior and exterior finishing, installation of mechanical and electrical systems and landscape design.
Dickenson County Career Center in Clinchco
SkillsUSA membership: 170 students and teachers
Students plan to build a 36’ long x 12’ wide building to showcase different energy sources. Part of the roof will be a green roof, the first one in the county. Solar panels will provide energy for all electrical needs in the building including lights, outlets and smart boards. The building will be the focus for Energy Day providing information to elementary through high school students and the community. It will also provide information about job opportunities in coal, gas, solar, wind, nuclear, geo thermal, fusion and electrical sources of energy.
Lowe's Grants for 2009
2009 Lowe’s SkillsUSA
Community Service Grant Schools
Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation is awarding service grants of up to $10,000 each to 19 local SkillsUSA chapters for innovative projects or enhancements within their communities. Here are the projects:
Arizona
Peoria High School in Peoria
SkillsUSA membership: 40 students and teachers
Project: Students will build an enclosed project trailer and fill it with tools, supplies and project materials. The mobile project trailer will allow students to easily assist local partners, who support under-privileged families, with any remodeling or building of structures around the community. The mobile trailer will also be utilized with local elementary school students in promoting career and technical education as well.
California
Central Valley High School in Ceres
SkillsUSA membership: 26 students and teachers
Project: Students will renovate Smyrna Park Rose Garden by removing overgrown bushes and an old trellis. The students will also install an automatic irrigation system to provide improved water conservation and build a free standing shade structure for the public to utilize the park, even in hot summer days.
Delaware
Sussex Technical High School in Georgetown
SkillsUSA membership: 1200 students and teachers
Project: Students will launch a recycling outreach program that is dedicated to sharing the benefits of recycling with four other schools in the community. Last year, the students began a recycling program at the school and currently recycle over 19,000 pounds each month and the goal is to help other schools in the state develop their own self-sustaining recycling program.
Georgia
Sonoraville High School in Calhoun
SkillsUSA membership: 70 students and teachers
Project: The students will construct hiking and mountain bike trails with walking bridges on watersheds to the lake and a 200’ bridge over a portion of the lake with fish attractors, duck boxes and views of wildlife feeders and beaver dams. An outdoor classroom will also be built including native plant information for students of all ages to have better access and to become more educated about the ecosystem.
Idaho
Pocatello Senior High School in Pocatello
SkillsUSA membership: 17 students and teachers
Project: The automotive students will develop A+ Auto Safety Inspections by creating a checklist of inspections to perform and will rent a vacant store in town to provide safety inspections for local community members. This hands-on training experience also allows instructors to assess students’ performance for future career opportunities in a real life setting.
Illinois
Peoria Alternative High School in Peoria
SkillsUSA membership: 81 students and teachers
Project: The students will beautify a local church’s community center and another church’s pre-school play area and grounds. The first phase will include clean up of the grounds of trash, dead plants and leaves the second phase will be to landscape and plant flowers in both locations
Massachusetts
Montachusett Regional Vocational School in Fitchburg
SkillsUSA membership: 963 students and teachers
Project: The students will revitalize West Fitchburg by providing an area for children and families to play at Moran Field. Currently the field has become overgrown and in ill repair so it is not utilized by local community members. Renovations to the park include new sheds, fencing, masonry, signage, trash bins and playground equipment repairs.
Missouri
Macon Area Vocational and Technical School in Macon
SkillsUSA membership: 49 students and teachers
Project: The students will revitalize and improve the safety of the Macon Family Literacy Center. Improvements to the facility include new windows, handicapped accessible ramp, new counter tops and stoves, double ovens, vanities, light fixtures, murals and hanging artwork. Also included in the plans are providing a new playground surface and landscaping for the center.
Ranken Technical College in St. Louis
SkillsUSA membership: 1,110 students and teachers
Project: Students in carpentry, plumbing and HVAC will build a three bedroom and two and one half bathroom home in the community of North City. This new home is part of a project to revitalize the local community. The need for affordable housing in this area is great, as much of the existing housing is up to 100 years old, vacant, deteriorating or abandoned.
Nebraska
Bennington High School in Bennington
SkillsUSA membership: 22 students and teachers
Project: The students are leading the entire school district in a major new recycling program which will include all paper goods and plastic. This grant will enable the students to purchase containers and lids for classrooms and common areas and pay for the first year of “pick-up”. Local partners including the local trash service and school district will cover the cost of transportation once the grant year is completed.
Sutton Public School in Sutton
SkillsUSA membership: 42 students and teachers
Project: The students will work cooperatively with the Sutton Chamber of Commerce and the Sutton Historical Society to create and place laser-engraved historical markers throughout the town. The markers will be placed at key points of interest to showcase the history of the community and to inform the next generation of how the town was founded and how it has grown.
New Jersey
Bergen County Academies in Hackensack
SkillsUSA membership: 80 students and teachers
Project: The students will transform an unattractive public walkway by the Hackensack River into a more useful and visually pleasing area for the public. This is a rare green area in an urban city, and it is in an area often used by children. Currently it is overrun with garbage and permeated with pollution. The students hope to inspire others to clean up the environment through a Clean Up and Planting program. Informative signs about the river will be placed along the walkway to educate the community.
North Carolina
Hayesville High School in Hayesville
SkillsUSA membership: 21 students and teachers
Project: Students will focus on two objectives at the Native American Spikebuck Mound Preservation. The first objective is completion of a bridge to span Town Creek. The second objective is completion of a 40 foot observation area which is constructed of natural stone, interpretive signage, planting of herbs and berries and Cherokee curriculum educational materials for all three Clay County Schools.
North Dakota
North Valley Career Technical Center in Grafton
SkillsUSA membership: 35 students and teachers
Project: Students will work in cooperation with the Grafton Parks and Recreation by expanding the Frisbee (Disc) Golf Course. The students will fabricate metal baskets so the current course can be expanded from 9 to 18 holes. Students in the drafting classes will design the baskets and then the welding students will cut, fabricate and weld the baskets.
Pennsylvania
Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School in Bethlehem
SkillsUSA membership: 1150 students and teachers
Project: Students will help to restore Illick’s Mill in Bethlehem by using their skills in masonry, carpentry, painting, and electrical construction. Students will receive real life work experience at the mill, working with trained professionals on a daily basis. The Mill will provide a natural classroom for students and a recreation area for generations of families.
Tennessee
Tennessee Technology Center in Chattanooga
SkillsUSA membership: 742 students and teachers
Project: Students will provide a desperately needed new playground area for a local elementary school. The project will include restoration and beautification of their current playground area and the construction of a small kickball field. The students will also build a gazebo to provide a shelter for the children during the intense heat of the summer and create a child-friendly environment.
Tennessee Technology Center in Crump
SkillsUSA membership: 231 students and teachers
Project: Students will construct a storage building for the Hardin County Skills Facility for mentally challenged persons. The external storage will allow internal space to be utilized for an exercise area and life-skills training. The students will install a game area for exercise and a “mock grocery store” for learning basic shopping skills, nutritional planning and money management. Also, computers will be provided with transitional skill programs to enable additional training and experience in basic computer use.
Tennessee Technology in Ripley
SkillsUSA membership: 135 students and teachers
Project: Students will renovate the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse lower level to add approximately 2100 square feet of usable area. The students will replace a security exit door, sheet rock, ceiling tiles, light fixtures, flooring, painting, and plumbing plus build a food pantry and 2 clothes closets and remove two walls. The center was donated to the community but was in great disrepair.
Virginia
Arlington Career Center in Arlington
SkillsUSA membership: 50 students and teachers
Project: Students will build a mobile, residential structure made of environmentally friendly, recycled and sustainable materials and using state-of-the-art “green” building procedures. The end product will be a two-room house, set on a trailer, which will serve as an exhibit to educate citizens on the value and use of “green” building materials and processes in constructing and renovating homes.
2009 Lowe’s SkillsUSA
Campus Improvement Grant Schools
SkillsUSA chapters at 17 schools nationwide are now implementing their 2009 Campus Improvement Grants for innovative SkillsUSA projects to improve schools or to enhance the student SkillsUSA experience. Here is a summary of the projects:
Arizona
Central Arizona Valley Institute of Technology in Coolidge
SkillsUSA membership: 34 students and teachers
Project: SkillsUSA members are transforming an empty campus room into a functioning medical clinic to serve students and the public.
California
Fontana High School in Fontana
SkillsUSA membership: 40 students and teachers
Project: SkillsUSA members are building a Green Zone near their welding lab. With a going green emphasis, they’ll create a grassy area and gazebo where students can host SkillsUSA meetings and activities.
John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills
Membership: 14 students and teachers
Project: Students will develop a SkillsUSA playground for the Careers with Children training program’s outdoor space. It will be built around a ground-level foam mat depicting the shape of the United States. The small playhouses will depict the architecture found in the US, a miniature Art Deco Empire State Building to a Georgian Colonial mansion. A vegetable garden will be planted for the children to explore the agriculture industry.
Florida
North Marion High School in Citra
SkillsUSA membership: 54 students and teachers
Project: SkillsUSA members are renovating their automotive lab, creating toolkits for students and providing more focus on the development of soft skills.
Pensacola Junior College in Pensacola
SkillsUSA membership: 61 students and teachers
Project: Students are building The Green Education Module project, a classroom-based demonstration/training model containing green equipment and supplies that will provide opportunities to current and future students in the PJC construction-related programs. This grant will enable the SkillsUSA students to practice their skills and demonstrate competency utilizing green technologies in construction.
Technical Education Center Osceola in Kissimmee
SkillsUSA membership: 71 students and teachers
Project: students will renovate and update classroom space to create a dedicated lab to train and test students in the goal of awarding students industry certifications, Florida Ready To work Credentials, and SkillsUSA technical assessments. They plan to create a state of the art center for our students.
Louisiana
Louisiana Technical College Gulf Area Campus in Abbeville
SkillsUSA membership: 41 students and teachers
Project: students will make campus updates including plant shrubs, paint the parking lots, replacing exterior stair rails, painting and updating bathrooms, installing a new sign for front of main building and replacing ceiling tiles in the SkillsUSA activity room.
Maine
Capital Area Technical Center in Augusta
SkillsUSA membership: 479 students and teachers
Project: students will remodel unused office space to create a Student Career Center for career and college research with guidance and assistance of the Maine Department of Labor and their Career Center staff.
Michigan
Eaton ISD Career Center in Charlotte
SkillsUSA membership: 44 students and teachers
Project: Students are building an outdoor obstacle course to be used for the physical fitness component of training for criminal justice and fire science fields. Lansing Community College will help with the plans and the building technology program will build the obstacles. The course will be used by all of the career classes as a tool in team building.
Missouri
Eldon Career Center in Eldon
SkillsUSA membership: 12 students and teachers
Project: Students are rebuilding the front entrance of the school, which also houses the district’s administration offices. The new entrance will feature an enclosure to prohibit heating and cooling loss and will update the building to make a more modern, appealing front entrance for the campus.
South Technical High School in Sunset Hills
SkillsUSA membership: 670 students and teachers
Project: Students from the masonry, culinary, carpentry, welding and horticulture programs are teaming up to build an outdoor kitchen and gathering space for the entire school and community to use for meetings and events.
New Mexico
Navajo Technical College in Crownpoint
SkillsUSA membership: 32 students and teachers
Project: Students of the Navaho nation are improving the facilities at this rural technical campus in order to create a campus where students are comfortable and inspired. With a large percentage of students being parents, a playground and grassy area with benches and a picnic area are part of the plan in order to create an area to relax, hold meetings and enhance the overall campus.
Rhode Island
Chariho Career and Technical Center in Wood River Junction
SkillsUSA membership: 427 students and teachers
Project: The school is launching the only HVAC program in the state next school year. The ReACH Program will offer multiple pathways to careers for secondary and adult learners. The grant will be used to purchase equipment for the program include a pellet stove, water heaters, boiler, and a variety of tubing, tools and equipment.
Tennessee
Cumberland Gap High School in Cumberland Gap
SkillsUSA membership: 53 students and teachers
Project: Students will convert an existing CTE shop into a Career Discovery Center including flooring, writing for computers, Internet access, plumbing, sheetrock, painting and cabinetry. The completed center will house a computer lab and conference area with interactive white board, digital visual presenter and allow online instruction.
East Career & Technology Center in Memphis
SkillsUSA membership: 74 students and teachers
Project: Students will create Brewster Urban Farm on two acres next to the local elementary school on land owned by the school system. The farm will be used as an outdoor classroom for students in grades K-12 and will include gardening, horticulture, botany, and environmental science. Plans include raised growing beds with signage, a garden shed with storage for tools and supplies and a gazebo.
Virginia
Spotsylvania Career and Technical Center in Spotsylvania
SkillsUSA membership: 252 students and teachers
Project: Students are partnering with Spotsylvania Wind Energy LTC to install a wind generator on the school site to expose students to alternative energy construction techniques and concepts.
Washington
Newport School District in Newport
SkillsUSA membership: 36 students and teachers
Project: Students are completing construction on a fire science-training center, with a learning lab for students. This will also be used as a training center for area fire districts in Pend Oreille County.
Lowe’s 2009 Sed de Saber Grant Schools
Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation is awarding service grants of up to $10,000 each to six local SkillsUSA chapters for innovative language projects within their communities. Here are the projects:
California
Metropolitan Skills Center in Los Angeles
SkillsUSA membership: 9 students and teachers
Project: Metro Skills Center has a very large ESL program with over 1,000 students. Metro SkillsUSA will implement the Sed de Saber program on their campus to benefit the Hispanic students and their families by helping individuals to improve their English skills. SkillsUSA members will assist other students in practicing their new language skills by serving as peer tutors.
Georgia
Lumpkin County High School in Dahlonega
SkillsUSA membership: 34 students and teachers
Project: The ELL population will be served through school and home based use of the English for Everyone Sed de Saber system. Students will use the software at school one day per week, and they will be expected to sign out the system for home use one night per week. The SkillsUSA chapter has partnered with volunteers from the Lumpkin County Literacy Coalition at the Adult Learning Center. Each week the volunteers will be available to offer one-on-one tutoring sessions with the parents of the ELL students. Additionally, the SkillsUSA chapter is working with the local employers to institute a program for employees to train on the systems. They will use the English for Construction and English for Hospitality software to provide training through Lanier Tech Center staff on the Lumpkin County High School and Adult Learning Center campuses.
Illinois
Maine Township High School East in Park Ridge
SkillsUSA membership: 28 students and teachers
Project: This project is a partnership between the ESL and Applied Arts and Technology Departments targeting the Hispanic population. Their work will focus on enhancement of everyday language skills. SkillsUSA members and English language learners will form peer partnerships. The students will have the opportunity to interact not only in class but also at chapter meetings. SkillsUSA members will serve as coaches for the ELL students.
Nevada
Eliza Pierce School in Battle Mountain
SkillsUSA membership: 34 students and teachers
Project: The SkillsUSA chapter will partner with the ESL coordinator for the district that works with students from kindergarten through graduation who are English language learners. The ESL coordinator will implement the Sed de Saber program into her program and use the units as a checkout resource for students to use at home and for parents and members of the community. The SkillsUSA members will serve as peer tutors to help with this program. The SkillsUSA members will meet once a week after school to check on the progress of the other students and answer questions.
Virginia
Astracor in Alexandria
SkillsUSA membership: 73 students and teachers
Project: Astracor is a state approved DPOR provider of contractor pre-licensure course, which they offer bilingually. Many of the chapter members speak or understand little to no English. This prevents them from obtaining higher than a Class C contractor’s license because Class A or B must be taken in English. The chapter will use the Sed de Saber program as a resource for its members and their families. They also conduct their SkillsUSA meetings in English so this program will allow more students to participate in the chapter meetings and directly apply their learning.
Washington
Decatur High School in Federal Way
SkillsUSA membership: 17 students and teachers
Project: The high school serves as the host location for the Sed de Saber program within the community. A team has been established with SkillsUSA members, advisors and local community leaders to create a structure to allow not only students but families to utilize these training tools and improve relations within ethnic communities. It will also allow SkillsUSA members to become more knowledgeable about fellow students in their high school and insure that all students are welcome in the SkillsUSA chapter.
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