SkillsUSA Important Due Dates:
March 1st – CareerSafe Safety Video Contest Deadline
March 1st – Chapter Excellence Program Applications due.
March 2nd – Final Membership Deadline for National Conference Participation
March 2nd – State Contest Invitation List Distributed.
March 13th – State Conference Registration & Hotel Registration Deadline
March 15th – SkillsUSA STEM Scholarship entries due
March30-April 2 – State Officer Pre-Conference Planning meeting - Tacoma
April 1st – National Technical Honor Society Scholarship applications due.
April 1st – President Volunteer service Award applications due
April 2-4th – State Leadership & Skills Conference (SLSC) Tacoma
April 29th – Activate and Leverage Training Scholarships application due.
April 30th – Sharon Melton Myers Memorial Scholarship applications due
May 1st – SkillsUSA Alumni and Friends Merit Scholarship applications due.
May 31st – Harley Davidson Motorcycle Raffle ticket sales end
June 1st – Alumni membership deadline for entry into the drawing
June 26th - 50K Challenge ends.
CORE + Workshop Save the Date:
March 19th, 20th and 21st. “Getting the Band Back Together!!” Workshop for Aerospace Grant
Instructors to learn more in-depth on Core curriculum components (Hands on opportunities), New
technologies, Maritime application and Best Practices. Workshop will be hosted by the MIC
(Manufacturing Industries Council) on South Seattle College Georgetown Campus. Additional strand
will be available for individual wishing to learn more about the CORE curriculum.
SkillsUSA STEM Scholarships:
SkillsUSA is proud to announce a new scholarship established by Air Products with a generous $50,000
donation. The new scholarship program is part of SkillsUSA’s newly created STEM Fund. The STEM
Fund will help to raise public awareness that career and technical education is STEM (science,
technology, engineering and mathematics). Air Products established this new scholarship to honor
SkillsUSA’s 50th anniversary. Up to 50 scholarships of $1,000 will be awarded through a competitive
application process to SkillsUSA students (graduating seniors in high school as well as
college/postsecondary students) whose area of study will lead them into a STEM-related field. Online
applications are due March 15. Please note that uploaded attachments must be typed, error free,
complete and uploaded in a Microsoft Word document (.docx) or .pdf format. Scholarship winners will
be notified by April 15. Checks will be sent to winners’ schools. To fill out the online application, go to:
http://bit.ly/STEMScholar. For more information, contact Kelly Persons at kpersons@skillsusa.org.
GAERF 2015 Student Design Competition:
The Pizzazz of Print! Create a unique and striking printed marketing piece to promote a strong
attendance at a major event. Entry Deadline is June 12, 2015. 1st Place award is $2000 plus a two-day
trip for student and instructor to attend GRAPH EXPO 15 in Chicago, Il., 2nd Place awards #1500 and
3rd place awards $1000. For complete details, visit graphicCOMMcentral.org www.gaerf.org
Additional SkillsUSA Scholarships:
• SkillsUSA STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Scholarship
(deadline March 15): http://skillsusa.org/membership-resources/scholarships-financial-aid/
skillsusa-stem-science-technology-engineering-mathematics-scholarship/
Alumni and Friends Scholarship (deadline May 1): http://skillsusa.org/membershipresources/
scholarships-financial-aid/alumni-friends-scholarship/
• National Technical Honor Society Scholarship (deadline April 1): http://skillsusa.org/
membership-resources/scholarships-financial-aid/national-technical-honor-society/
• Sharon Melton Myers Memorial Scholarship (deadline April 30):
2015 NLSC (National Leadership and Skills Championships):
The 2015 NLSC schedule will be as follows:
51st NLSC – Louisville, Ky. – June 22-26, 2015. So, the 2015 NLSC schedule will be from Monday to
Friday. The Opening Ceremony will be held on Tuesday, June 23, the SkillsUSA Championships will be
heldWednesday and -Thursday, June 24-25, and the Awards Ceremony will be held Friday, June 26.
For the complete NLSC 2015 condensed agenda, go to: www.skillsusa.org/events-training/nationalleadership-and-skills-conference/agenda/
Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Raffle Returns:
SkillsUSA will once again be raffling off a Dyna Street Bob motorcycle at the 2015 national conference
awards ceremony, Friday, June 26, in Louisville. This event is made possible thanks to a generous
donation by Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Inc. The SkillsUSA Alumni and Friends Association will be
the beneficiary of this year’s raffle. State alumni groups have an opportunity to sell the raffle tickets and
raise money for their own state group or to support the national alumni association. This can be a
lucrative fundraising opportunity. Tickets are $5 each or five tickets for $20. For each ticket sold, the
state alumni group selling the ticket will receive $2. Please start promoting this raffle at your upcoming
state conferences. Tickets can be sold anywhere. All state association ticket sales end on May 31. Ticket
stubs, unsold tickets and sales check ($3 per ticket sold) need to be sent to Heidi Walsh by June 1. The
winner does not need to be present for the drawing. The winner will be responsible for picking up the
motorcycle at a local Harley-Davidson dealer in his or her community. Any winner residing in Hawaii,
Guam, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands will need to pick the bike up at the nearest dealer located
in the continental United States. For more information about this fundraiser and to order raffle tickets to
sell at your SkillsUSA state events, please contact Heidi Walsh at 703-737-0615 or by email at
hwalsh@skillsusa.org.
Great American Opportunities, Supporting Chapter in Fundraising:
A new partner is stepping up to the plate to assist chapters who need successful fundraising programs.
Great American Opportunities (GAO) will provide great program options, featuring exceptional values
for consumers through discount cards branded exclusively for SkillsUSA. The GAO sales force, more
than 350 fundraising professionals across the nation, will offer local support to ensure a successful
campaign. GAO will be connecting directly with chapters to ensure quality customer service and
support. If you have questions, please contact Tom Marcinko (Tom.Marcinko@gafundraising.com).
SkillsUSA: Membership:
Go to http://www.skillsusa-register.org/Login.aspx to enter Professional and Student membership.
Professional Dues are $22.00/instructor and $16.00/student. To honor those advisors who are able to
enroll all eligible students in their SkillsUSA Chapter will be eligible to be entered in the Mega Prize at
NLCS. See http://skillsusa.org/membership-resources/mega-prize/ for prizes available. March 2, 2015 is
the final deadline for National membership. State deadline prior to Regional Competitions.
SkillsUSA: Membership Hotline:
How to start a new chapter, ways to engage more of your chapter members or strategies to strengthen
your existing chapter. If you have questions or need assistance with online membership registration, the
hotline operators can take care of that as well. Call toll free 844-875-4557.
SkillsUSA: Chapter Excellence Program):
This fall, SkillsUSA is unveiling the Chapter Excellence Program (CEP) which honors chapter
achievement relative to SkillsUSA framework of developing personal, workplace and technical skills.
For more information go to: http://skillsusa.org/programs/chapter-excellence-program/
President’s Volunteer Service Award:
Because SkillsUSA is a certifying organization of the President’s Volunteer Service Award, advisors,
student members and registered alumni can earn recognition for community service activities and time
spent as a volunteer. For details on qualifying hours and requirements for submission, visit:
http://skillsusa.org/membership-resources/awards/presidents-volunteer-service-award/. Applications must be
received (not postmarked) by April 1, 2015.
Join the SkillsUSA 50K Challenge
The SkillsUSA Alumni & Friends Association announces the SkillsUSA 50K Challenge:50,000 Hours
for 50 Years of Service. The 50K Challenge encourages alumni, active members, professional members
and all friends of SkillsUSA to celebrate its 50-year legacy of supporting healthy and vibrant
communities through direct community service. As an organization, SkillsUSA’s goal is to track and
record 50,000 hours of service from September 20, 2014, through June 26, 2015.
Service hours logged as part of the 50K Challenge effort can include volunteering at any nonprofit
organization, school, community, or faith-based organization. Service hours will be logged through June
26, 2015. Logon to www.SkillsUSAService.org to register for the challenge, learn more, and to log your
hours for the challenge.
SkillsUSA: Career Readiness Curriculum (CRC):
The Career Readiness Curriculum (CRC) can help ensure that students are prepared for workplace
success. CRC supports the framework of the SkillsUSA mission, which includes personal, workplace
and technical skills grounded in academics — all essential to a successful, student-oriented career and
technical education program. The curriculum includes 27 lesson plans and is based on Common Core
State Standards along with seven other national employability initiatives. CRC infuses 21st Century
Skills into student engagement activities.
For more information go to http://skillsusa.org/programs/career-readiness-curriculum/
$2,000 Grant, Sponsored by Lowe’s, Recognizes Chapter Excellence:
Schools in your state may qualify for this award! This is an exciting opportunity for chapters to be
recognized and honored for exemplary chapter performance as well as the chance to receive $2,000. The
Chapter Excellence Program (CEP) establishes a quality baseline that all chapters are encouraged to
attain, with extra incentive for exemplary chapter performance. The program consists of four award
levels, with the first three levels recognized by the state and the final level eligible for national
recognition. The 25 chapters recognized as models of excellence will receive a $2,000 section or chapter
grant, which may be used to help offset travel to the National Leadership and Skills Conference. The
national application deadline is April 1. It is not too late for schools to receive CEP recognition. Please
encourage your advisors to complete their CEP application online at: http://www.skillsusaregister.org/Login.aspx.
SkillsUSA; Free Access to Autodesk Software:
Autodesk has been committed to SkillsUSA for over 20 years as a corporate sponsor. Get started by
accessing http://www.autodesk.com/education/home?mktvar001=630842