SkillsUSA Builds On Trades Learned

Big projects come with bigger risks. When an Orchard woman asked students in the construction class at Orchard Public School to build a shed, the project ended up a little bigger than expected.

As luck would have it, the project has now turned into a big fundraiser for the SkillsUSA organization.

Bob Evans had just begun his first year as the shop teacher at Orchard Public School when he agreed to have his students construct the building.

​“I believe that skill building and leadership development cannot start too soon in education,” Evans said.
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The project started in August of 2017, but due to some complications, the original buyer backed out of the purchase, leading to the 10-foot by 12-foot shed becoming a fundraiser for SkillsUSA. The SkillsUSA program encourages students to dabble in different fields of work in hopes to make them “job ready from day one.”

The organization is selling raffle tickets for $5 each or five for $20 to help pay for students to compete at state competition. With just siding and electrical work remaining, Evans said community support has been incredible.

“People that have heard about the shed are stopping by to check our progress. We have also pre-sold hundreds of tickets, and staff members are lining up to purchase them,” Evans said.

Tickets will be sold at home basketball games by SkillsUSA members with the winner of the shed announced on February 7. The white-sided building is valued at $4,000 and has five windows and two barn-style doors, along with two lofts inside for storage. The roof is also barn-style with a gambrel roof and gray shingles.

Students were a huge part of the project, doing all of the planning and building under the careful guidance of Evans, with the help of the Clearwater shop teacher Mike Odell.

“It’s kind of crazy to think of how critically important each and every one of the students is to the future of our community and the job. I am blessed to have been involved in helping them on their journey,” Evans said.

The number of students fluctuated as they cycled in and out of school due to graduating, but 11 have played a role in construction, including Derek Maxwell and Jacob Bennett. Both said they plan to further their learning in construction and later use it as a career.

“This allows students to show their talents and abilities. In our case, it was almost like a way to validate that we can truly see ourselves doing this for the rest of our lives,” Maxwell said as he reflected on the project. Not only did this project help the students realize their potential, but it also encouraged more to join the program.

“This project is one of the main reasons I joined SkillsUSA,” Bennett admitted.

The SkillsUSA program allows students that are not only interested in industrial technology, but of many different interests.

Students are allowed to participate in competitions that range from cosmetology to drone flying. This allows hands-on experience so that students can be ready for the workforce from the start.

With the increasing amount of competitions being added yearly, the SkillsUSA program needs funding in order to allow their students to excel. Each competition requires different materials and sources in order to compete. With funding and guidance, students can blossom in a variety of areas.

“In 32 years of teaching, I have asked every school to let me provide the program,” Evan said. “This is the place and this is the time for me to be part of this great program. OC has a long-standing tradition of excellence and now we have added a national champion to our list of accomplishments.”

Last summer, Madison Melcher won the job skills demonstration in the open or middle school division at nationals.

“Students will not only gain technical skills, but they will also develop the leadership skills that the workforce so desperately needs,” he said.