Gold medal winners from Kansas City Kansas Community College will go on in the SkillsUSA national competition. (KCKCC photo)
by Kelly Rogge
Students at the Kansas City Kansas Community College’s Technical Education Center have had a successful year and not just in the classroom. The school has 33 medalists in the SkillsUSA program with 12 of them going onto the national competition this summer.
“I think we did great,” said Jake Carmack, major appliance technology/HVACR instructor at KCKCC-TEC as well as the SkillsUSA adviser. “We are really pleased with how well we did, especially with so many of our students going to nationals.”
SkilssUSA is a career and technical student organization in the United States that is geared toward those enrolled in programs for skilled, technical and service occupations. The organization serves more than 300,000 students and instructions each year at the high school and post-secondary level. It also gives industry leaders and opportunity to not only mentor but recruit students into high demand positions.
Students, who wish to compete in SkillsUSA, can do so at the local, state and national level. Categories range from culinary, building maintenance and automotive service technology to basic health care skills, collision repair technology, entrepreneurship and job skill demonstration. The idea is to give students the opportunity to compete in real-world, hands-on situations. First place winners at the state level move onto the SkillsUSA Championships the last week of June in Kansas City.
KCKCC-TEC students that received medals included:
• Ryan Krueger – plumbing, first place.
• Danny Rausch, Jr. – plumbing, first place.
• Horton Ponyell, plumbing, second place.
• Shawn Carter, plumbing, third place.
• Andrea Allen (Contestant) – nail care, first place.
• Savannah Castrol (Model) – nail care, first place.
• Wendy Miranda Alvard (Contestant) – nail care, first place.
• Jocelyn Jones (Model) – nail care, first place.
• Norma Uribe (Contestant) – nail care, second place.
• Gabriela Arzabala (Model) – nail care, second place.
• Megan Ebbert (Contestant) – nail care, second place.
• Etoi King (Model) – nail care, second place.
• Brianna Willcutt (Contestant) – nail care, third place.
• Angelica Cossio Rios (Model) – nail care, third place.
• Yamileth Corderp (Contestant) – nail care, third place.
• Dulce Delacruz (Model) – nail care, third place.
• Daran Powell – restaurant service, first place.
• Kortnee Fielder – cosmetology, first place.
• Dafne Miranda – cosmetology, first place.
• Ann-Druney Prince – cosmetology, second place.
• Eloi Jurariz – cosmetology, third place.
• Santazia Nelson – esthetics, first place.
• MaShayla Hickerson – esthetics, first place.
• Sadie Brouhard – commercial baking, second place.
• Gabriel Nava – commercial baking, second place.
• Wesley Spears – culinary arts, third place.
• Paw Way – culinary arts, third place.
• David Scherer – major appliance, third place.
• Aaron Fible – major appliance, first place.
• David Steffens – major appliance, second place.
• Cierra Ehlers – precision machine, second place.
• Joel Smith – precision machine, third place.
• James Caldwell – carpentry, third place.
All students at the KCKCC-TEC are members of SkillsUSA. However, only around 81 are active in the Kansas SkillsUSA competition. In addition to the national qualifiers, KCKCC-TEC received awards for the highest membership in the state of Kansas for a secondary/post-secondary combined chapter as well as an award for an increase in membership.
Skills USA’s National Conference will be from June 23 to June 27, with the contests being conducted on June 26. This is the last year that the conference will be at Bartle Hall in Kansas City. Competition day is open to the public to observe.
“All of these contests are administered and judged by people from business and industry,” Carmack said. “It helps to bring together people from both sides and gives these business and industry experts an opportunity to find students to be potential employees.”
For more information on the SkillsUSA program at KCKCC-TEC, contact Carmack at 913-288-7858 or by email at jcarmack@kckcc.edu.
KCKCC-TEC has more than 30 medalists in the SkillsUSA competition. (KCKCC photo)
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Grandview Christian Church, 8550 Parallel Parkway, is collecting canned goods for Help 3:17, a local food pantry.
“Scripture Study, Bible Sharing and Reflection, Lectio and Journaling,” a regular weekly series facilitated by pastoral minister, Heather Neds, is offered from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesdays at Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. This weekly Bible study group is based on the upcoming scripture readings from the Common Lectionary. There will be time for reflection, sharing and journaling. Call 913-906-8990 to register.
“Dreams and the Spiritual Journey,” with Jane Maxfield, a four- part series, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Thursdays, June 5-26, at Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. Maxfield holds a certificate in projective dreamwork from the Marin Institute and has facilitated workshops for Elderhostel, retreat groups, arts, and women’s groups. Religious traditions around the globe and through the ages have recognized attention to dreams as a means of finding our path to wholeness and holiness. The techniques and tools explored in the four-session class include improving dream recall, recording dreams, discovering more of the multiple levels of meaning found in every dream, and experiencing the potential of working with dreams in a circle of support. Call 913-906-8990 to register.
Catholic Cemeteries of Northeast Kansas will hold Memorial Day Masses on Monday, May 26, at the following locations and times: Mt. Calvary Cemetery, 38th and State Avenue, Kansas City, Kan., 9 a.m.; celebrated by the Rev. Michael Hermes; liturgical music by Ed Grisnik. Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 126th and Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kan., 10 a.m.; celebrated by the Rev. John Riley. For more information, call 913-371-4040 (Kansas City area); email information@cathcemks.org ; or visit www.cathcemks.org.
Open Door Baptist Church, 3033 N. 103rd Terrace, will hold a Vacation Bible School, Weird Animals theme, from 6 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. June 8 to June 13. Registration deadline is June 8. For information, visit www.groupvbspro.com/vbs/ez/opendoor/gpgs/home.aspx.
Stony Point Christian Church, 149 S. 78th, plans Vacation Bible School at 9 a.m. June 9 to 13 at the church’s Cole Activity Center. The theme of VBS is “Weird Animals.” For more information, see http://stonypointchristian.org/.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1300 N. 18th St., will hold a “spirit” celebration starting at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, May 19, in the parish hall before the 10 a.m. service in English. A service in Spanish will be at 1:30 p.m.
The Wyandotte Daily News is interested in news of your community event in Wyandotte County. Send information to news@wyandottepublishing.com and include your name and phone number.
Sign up for library’s reading program
The Kansas City, Kan., Public Library’s summer reading program has started signing up readers. The program runs from June 1 to July 31. Participate at any of the five library branches. After signing up, participants may start logging books on June 1. For more information, visit the website at www.kckpl.org.
Croquet tourney scheduled May 16
The fifth Downtown KCK Cork House croquet tournament will be held at 4 p.m. May 16 at 509 N. 6th St. The tourney could be held on the City Vision Champion Lawn and another course could be added to the south near St. Mary’s Church. The cost of the tournament is $10, including food and drinks. For more information, call 913-371-1944.
Democratic breakfast to be May 17
The Wyandotte County Third Saturday Democratic Breakfast will be May 17 at the Eisenhower Room in the Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Minnesota Ave. Breakfast is at 8:15 a.m.; the program starts at 9:15. Speakers will be State Sen. David Haley and State Reps. Kathy Wolfe Moore and Tom Burroughs. A precinct and campaign training workshop, led by Kansas Democratic Party political director Kerry Gooch, will take place immediately after the breakfast forum.
Free bike rodeo May 17 to provide bike helmets for kids
The free KCK Kiwanis West Bike Rodeo returns Saturday, May 17, to the Schlitterbahn Waterpark, 9400 State Ave., Kansas City, Kan. Elementary-aged kids will have the opportunity to learn tips on cycling safety, participate in interactive activities that promote health and safety and to sneak a peek at attractions at Schlitterbahn Kansas City Waterpark at the eighth annual bike event. Hours are from 9 a.m. to noon May 17. The event sponsors plan to distribute up to 300 free bike safety helmets and T-shirts to participants. Activities will take place in the parking lot and entrance area of Schlitterbahn, and a large turnout is anticipated. Children should be accompanied by an adult. Kids are encouraged to bring their bicycles. Helmets will be fitted, bikes will be inspected for safety, and kids may visit bike riding stations to earn a safety certificate. Those with questions on the day of the event may call 816-751-4227.
Time management class offered
Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Avenue, KCK, will present a workshop, “Time Management for Women,” from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Monday, May 19, presented by Chiquita Miller of K-State Extension. Call 913-906-8990 to register.
African-American Art Festival planned Aug. 9
The MoKan African-American Art Festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, at Quindaro Park, 35th and Sewell, Kansas City, Kan. Those attending the free event may bring a blanket, enjoy artwork, stilt walkers Gullah basket weathers, African drummers and dancers, food and vendors. For more information about having an art exhibit there or being a vendor, contact 913-788-7330.
