Even more than ever, real life experiences will help shape our young people as they prepare for life in the workforce.
That’s the main goal of the SkillsUSA organization, which has helped create young minds into leaders at the local and national levels. Two of West Noble’s students found success in the SkillsUSA competition series this year, and one will represent us at the national convention this June.
SkillsUSA’s mission is to empower students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members. Students from all across the country take part in their courses, and in the cases of West Noble senior Landen Bishop and junior Daniela Perez Munoz, they competed in the SkillsUSA forums via their IMPACT classes in Kendallville. Through the local and regional competitions, both Bishop and Perez Munoz were finalists and advanced to the state competition. Bishop, working in HVAC, came home from Indianapolis’ state competition with a bronze medal while Perez Munoz was a gold medalist and will continue onto the national finals in Atlanta!
Daniela In Atlanta
She knew she had a chance, but it took a little extra prep to grab a ticket to Atlanta. After finishing second in the SkillsUSA regional round, Perez Munoz knew first place in the state was a possibility.
And after the state competition was finished, it was Perez Munoz who finished first, one spot ahead of the girl in the nursing assistant category that beat her a just a couple weeks prior.
“I feel very proud,” began Perez Munoz, who shared she screamed and jumped up and down when she found out she won state. “I didn’t realize how big of a deal it was to win state and be able to go to nationals. It got real when they announced it (on the West Noble morning announcements). Then everybody knew, but I actually heard them say it.”
This easily is the biggest school moment Perez Munoz has ever had, and she admits this is kind of a big deal. She will head to Atlanta for the National Leadership & Skills Conference on June 1-5, where she will be working in exercises with vital signs, resident safety and infection control methods. Just hearing Perez Munoz speak about her craft and where she wants to go, one can tell she is a caring individual. Working in assisted living as part of the IMPACT program, she is directly in the field and doing what she loves.
“There are two of us who are working with the residents, helping them with things they may not be able to do for themselves,” Perez Munoz said of her on-site work in Kendallville. “We feed them, we shower them, we help them get dressed. They say we are the people who spend the most time with them. It’s a lot at first, but as I did it more, I really love it.”
Bishop’s Bronze
“I really wanted that first place, I’m not gonna lie!”
Bishop is a competitor. His fire and tenacity on the football field was his trademark. That spirit is in his bones, and a competition to show how much he’s learned in the HVAC business isn’t any different than chasing down quarterbacks on Friday nights.
After finishing sixth in the regional competition, Bishop doubled up to finish third and a bronze at state. His work detail that was judged at the state level included calculating air flow and refrigerant cycles, super heating, diagnosing furnaces and lower temp welding.
“This has really helped me a lot,” Bishop said. “It’s taught me the basics of the refrigerant cycle and what you need to know out in the field. Even reading a tape measure. You’d think it was simple, but some guys don’t know how to properly read one. Basic stuff like that matters.
“To be honest, this has been a great experience because I was able to just lock in and pursue it. I want to have a career in this.”