SkillsUSA had it’s second bimonthly meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 16. SkillsUSA is a club for students seeking academic and artistic recognition.
Students can compete with other people at the state level, and in certain cases, the national level. Westwood, in particular, has its own legacy in terms of success. Last year, 97% of participants made it to the state level of competition, and each year, our students receive several national awards.

During the second meeting, officers talked about the various volunteer projects and funding. “Another benefit of SkillsUSA is that you get access to the National Technical Honor Society,” club sponsor Vicky Tarver. “Without joining SkillsUSA, you would not be allowed to join, and the NTHS is perfect for those who enjoy and excel at technical and computing skills.”

There are many areas of competition that students can pursue. Examples include 3D animation, architecture, computer programming, graphic design, interior designing, leadership, robotics, and web design. There are 98 national events ranging from academic to personal hobbies. SkillsUSA does not strictly reflect student’s academic performances, but strives to help students reach professional readiness.

“My older sister took SkillsUSA, and in her senior year, she won the national award for Desktop Designing,” Andrea Yi ‘19 said. “She highly recommended that I join SkillsUSA, and I’m very glad that I took her suggestion.”

In order to compete in SkillsUSA, students must pay a $30 fee and have four volunteer/community work credits that can be obtained later in the year. Westwood participates in many exciting projects such as volunteering at the annual YMCA Spooktacular event, the Food Pantry, Custodian Christmas, and Trail of Lights among others.

For more information, check out the official SkillsUSA website, or if you are interested in joining the Westwood SkillsUSA club, check out their website to access a larger list of the competition categories, to sign up, to look at the various community service projects, and to contact the officers if you have any other questions.

The next meeting is Wednesday, Oct. 1 before and after school in room C1306.