WTA SkillsUSA president Nicholas Langlois opens the Dec. meeting flanked by chapter officers. (Photo by Amy Porter)
WESTFIELD – Westfield Technical Academy’s SkillsUSA chapter is off to a strong start this year with 65 members participating. Officers, who were elected in October, are: Nicholas Langlois, president (IT); Sara Staples, vice president (Culinary Arts); Michael Durkee, parliamentarian (Electrical Wiring); Jackson Lambert, secretary (IT); Ksenia Zinchenko, treasurer (IT); Kirill Melnikov, reporter (Collision Technology), and Dorean Neron, chapter historian (IT).
Langlois presided over the opening emblem ceremony at the Dec. 5 meeting, their third of the year, in which each officer speaks about one symbol in the SkillsUSA emblem. The emblem itself is a wooden shield with symbols that fit together like a puzzle, made by the Construction Tech shop, and designed by senior Lauren Capannola using their CNC 3D printer for wood. The shield stands for patriotism, gears for work; a torch for knowledge; circles for technology, and hands for the individual knowledge and skill needed to succeed.
SkillsUSA reporter Kirill Melnikov assisted students with voting on Election Day. Chapter members pledge to volunteer 5 hours a month. (Photo submitted)
Faculty advisor Maureen Baillargeon said the reason they hold the opening ceremony each meeting is because 20% of the written test is on the colors and symbolism of the emblem. The written test is the first competition for members, before the hands-on technical competitions begin. “Hopefully, as you come to these monthly meetings, it will start to sink in,” she said.
President Langlois spoke to members about upcoming activities and community service opportunities, and asked for volunteers. SkillsUSA members will be making lap blankets after school all next week (Room 218) as Secret Santa gifts for veterans at the Holyoke Soldier’s Home, and Langlois said they need help. Student Services coordinator Rob Ollari will drive volunteers in the school van to present the gifts to the veterans. Baillargeon said fabric was donated by Wal-Mart for the blankets. Cards were also passed around the meeting to send holiday wishes and inspirational messages to the veterans.
Langlois said volunteer hours would go toward the monthly quota of five hours for chapter members. He also asked for volunteers for a December canned drive for the soup kitchen, and toy drive for the women’s shelter. Earlier in the school year the students painted pumpkins to bring to the Governor’s House in Westfield, volunteered at the Cancer House of Hope Luminaria in Storrowton, and helped Santa to serve a pancake breakfast to children in Southwick. Members also volunteered on Election Day to assist with the student voting effort.
SkillsUSA Advisor Maureen Baillargeon and WTA Student Services coordinator Rob Ollari presented officers with pins earned at a SkillsUSA Leadership Conference in November. (Photo by Amy Porter)
At the meeting last Wednesday, Baillargeon invited Ollari to present the officers with seven leadership pins and fourteen medals earned for their accomplishments in workplace, technical, and personal skills knowledge at the SkillsUSA Fall State Leadership Conference in Marlboro in November. Baillargeon said the two-day conference had 600 students and teachers in attendance, and students received pins for memorizing 25 different symbols and the names of all the Mass. (state) SkillsUSA officers. Baillargeon said they also had a talent show, at which chapter historian Dorean Neron did a stand-up comedy routine that had everybody laughing. “It was very intense,” Baillargeon said about the conference.
Langlois said the next meeting for members, which is mandatory, will be held on Jan. 7, as the chapter continues its preparation for the technical shop competitions later in the spring. Westfield Technical Academy has had members go all the way to the national competitions in Kentucky for the past three years.
