Skills USA Winners

Students at the Tennessee Technology Center at McKenzie brought home six gold, one silver and one bronze medal in the State Skills USA competitions.

The Center competed in the post-secondary division of the 45th Annual Conference in Chattanooga and received gold medals in Plumbing, HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning), CNC Turning, CNC Milling and Sustainable Solutions. The school also placed Second in Electronics Technology and Third in Telecommunications Cabling. The competition tested students in practical skills as well as oral and written exams. All the winners will advance to the national competition in June in Kansas City, MO.

Mark Reed of Trenton earned gold in HVAC this year making three years in a row that TTC McKenzie has won first place in HVAC. Brian Cruse of Gleason and Steve Crawford of Paris placed first in the Sustainable Solutions event. They will compete in the Sustainable Energy competition at Nationals with their Micro Hydro display. Ralph Turnbow of Dresden took home the top spot in Plumbing. The Machine Tool Program brought home two gold medals with Terrell Johnson of Huntingdon winning in the CNC Turning competition and Robert Douglas of Bruceton placing first in CNC Milling. The Green Technology program was well represented with TJ Dailey of McKenzie placing 2nd in Electronics Technology, and Brian Bates of Trenton taking home the bronze medal in Telecommunications Cabling.

Instructors who will accompany the students to nationals in Kansas City are James Tucker, Bruce Moore, Darrell Roland, and Terry Wilson. “We look forward to the national competition and plan on doing very well,” Wilson said.

Skills USA is a national organization serving teachers along with high school and college students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations, including health occupations. Skills USA programs include local, state and national competitions in which students demonstrate occupational and leadership skills. At the annual national-level Skills USA Championships, over 5,000 students compete in 87 occupational and leadership skill areas.

Spring Awards Day

The Spring Trimester at the Tennessee Technology Center at McKenzie ended with Awards Day on April 22nd. The ceremony, organized and sponsored by the campus-wide Student Senate, was held at the McKenzie Church of Christ and led by the Center’s director Dr. Brad White.

A total of 51 students received there diplomas or final certificates and numerous others were recognized for completing certificate levels during the spring 2010 Trimester. Also recognized during the ceremony were students who were inducted into the National Technical Honor Society, and students who attained Perfect Attendance.

The students who completed requirements for graduation are: Automotive Technology- Amber McDaniel, Leandro Ortez; Bio-Medical- Kenny Kennon, Chad Hood, Shannon Powell; Business Systems McKenzie- Jennifer Wiseman, Judy Wallace, Melissa Franks; Business Systems Martin- Paula Todd, Donna Harris, Pamela Totty, Nicole Neblett, Patricia Wolfe, Karen Petty, Deborah Clark; Computer Information- Matthew Brown, Victor Rich, Hunter Brannon, Matthew Brewer, Terry Woodruff, Aaron Hatley, Steven Richardson, Sammie Stoots; HVAC/Refrigeration- William Rimmer, Jeremy Dethloff, Eric Baskin, Michael Howell, Lucian Kee, Jerrod McCord, Trevor Gullet, Rita Howze; Industrial Maintenance McKenzie- Jacob Thum, Darrell Mealer, Justin Tanner, Clint Beacham, Chris Longmire; Industrial Maintenance Martin- John McKinney, Coy Martin, Emanuel Harris, Ricardo Ware; Machine Tool- James Jones, Jonathan Holland, Terrell Johnson; Welding- Jacob Baker, Kyle Baker, Tanya Davidson, Matthew Warren, Jere Glenn, Thomas Mitchell, Roy Alsup, Michael Bennett.

Fifteen students were inducted into the National Technical Honor Society. Honor Society inductees include Thomas Malone, Jane Dublin, Barbara Stegall, Sandra Williams, Christopher Smith, Alta Tate, Mechelle Knight, Carol Dunivant, Dixie Timmons, Thomas Dailey Jr, Andrew Stockdale, James Dowden, Steven Lassiter, Darrell Mealer, Anthony Brown.

Thirty Two students were recognized for achieving perfect attendance during the previous Fall Trimester. Those receiving Perfect Attendance certificates were Corey Nooner, Brent Gordon, Kenny Kennon, Barbara Stegall, Dixie Timmons, Graham Vickers, Howard Webber, Brian Cruse, Kevin Newsome, Troy Grimes, Lucian Kee, Mark Reed, William Rimmer, William Pennington, Terry Dunn, Steven Lassiter, Coy Martin, James Dowden, Jerry Galey, Josh Murray, Rose Pettie, Emanuel Harris, James Batten, Robert Ridings, Jimmie Moore, Ronnie Orr, Jeffrey White, Jack Nicholson, Jeremy Riddle, Jere Glenn, David Morgan, Farris Bartholomew.

Following the ceremony, a reception was held in honor of the graduates and their families.

National Guard Donation

Have you ever said “I can’t do much because I don’t have a lot of money to give.” That is not what the students at Tennessee Technology Center at McKenzie said. The McKenzie Campus Student Senate took the attitude that every penny counts. They hosted a Penny Drive competition among classes at the McKenzie and Martin locations to raise funds for the McKenzie Family Readiness support group of our local guard unit.

The students raised $2,000 that they presented to readiness group volunteers. “This has been such a special competition among our students and faculty and we are so glad to be able to donate the money to such a worthwhile cause,” stated Melissa Franks, Student Senate President. The competitions were won by the Business Systems Technology class at McKenzie and the Industrial Maintenance Class in Martin.

High School Welding Student Places in State Competation

Congratulations to Andrew Doster a student in our Welding class who placed 2nd in the Region in FFA AG Sales Contest.

Automotive Program Receives New Tools

Lowe's and Kobalt Tools in partnership with SkillsUSA are helping the next generation of trade professionals develop their skills at TTC/McKenzie through their Toolbox Education program. Lowe's is donating approximately $1,100 worth of kobalt tools to the school as part of the national program, which will total about $450,000 to 400 SkillsUSA Automotive service technology programs across the nation for use in their classrooms.

Green Technology Class Becomes Certified as Green Academy

The Green Technology class here at the Tennessee Technology Center at McKenzie has just earned the certification as one of the nation’s first Green Academy’s through ETA (Electronics Technicians Association). The designation comes after many hours of hard work put in by students and their instructor Bruce Moore.

Just launched, ETA International’s Green Academy will be a collaborative effort for both schools that are approved to utilize ETA alternative energy certifications and industry partners who offer training or are looking to hire students.

“We hear from schools each day who are entering the alternative energy market and including their local industry. This recognition, ‘Green Academy’ shows which schools have completed the full circle - students, training, certification and jobs,” said ETA International President, Teresa Maher

It is important for students to receive hands-on training and what better way to do that than by creating partnerships with local businesses. Students are able to receive the necessary hands-on training through internships and also receive ETA certification.

Schools and facilities who wish to become part of ETA’s Green Academy must have at least one training program approved by ETA to teach a Level One certification in one of the ETA Alternative Energy disciplines (photovoltaic, small and commercial wind, micro hydro, fuel cells, solar thermal, geothermal, Stirling technology or solar concentration). The school must also have an agreement with an employer to provide part or all of its students with either an internship or an externship. For a specific list of qualifications please visit, www.certifymegreen.org.

"The Green Academy program will help to bridge the gap between course completion and employment, said Ray Stroud, ETA Alternative Energy project manager. “A person who has just completed the Green Academy program will have a level of/ confidence during a job interview that comes with real world contact training and experiences."

FFA Skills Competition

On Thursday the Fourth of March over 80 local High School Students Competed in five different events here. We would just like to congratulate all those who competed.