Roma High School SkillsUSA Students Qualify for State

By Ricky Pérez
Harlingen, TX – The annual District 13 SkillsUSA conference was held here on the campus of Texas State Technical College February 19-20, 2010. SkillsUSA is the only national organization for high school and college students in technical, skilled and service careers, including health careers and is designed to develop students into a well-rounded person with technical, academic, and “employability” skills, the skills that not only help you get a job but also have a successful career. Roma High School SkillsUSA students joined other Rio Grande Valley school district local chapters that make up District 13 in entering their respective projects for competition in Automotive Trades, Building Trades, and Media Technology. In Automotive Trades, individual projects including starter motor, alternators and engine rebuild were entered into competition. Automotive Trades students also entered a Team in the automotive Quiz Bowl and the team from Roma High, Jonathan Gutiérrez, Rolando González, Jonathan Chávez, Osiel Canales, and Jesús Reyna won 1st Place to advance to state. Also advancing to state are two team projects and one individual project in engine rebuild, three individual starter motor projects, and one individual alternator project. In Building Trades, ten total individual projects were entered into competition and four qualified for State. The other six projects were rated excellent (the four possible ratings are Qualified for State, Excellent, Good, and Honorable Mention). In Media Technology, GTN (Gladiator Television Network) entered seven media projects and 5 qualified for State. All the adjudicators at the District 13 Conference are respected industry professionals and judged each student project based on established industry standards. The State SkillsUSA Conference will be held at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas March 25-27, 2010. Congratulations to Roma High Schools’ SkillsUSA students and their instructors, Mr. Matías Ochoa (Automotive Trades), Mr. Roel Miranda (Building Trades), and Mr. Jaime Escobar, Jr., Ms. Yolín Muñiz, and Mr. Jesús E. Vidal (Media Technology) for an exceptional District competition and best of luck at the State Conference.