SkillsUSA is a popular club at Decatur High School (DHS) which offers its members opportunities to enter in competitions regarding career pathways offered at DHS. Competition topics can include, but are not limited to: architecture, graphic design, and woodworking. Even without a specific connection to a pathway, SkillsUSA is a great way for students to participate in engaging, challenging activities.
“The [competitions] are a great way to build community and have a way to network. It’s also so important when you’re trying to build your resume before you graduate high school,” Theresa Garcia says, a SkillsUSA leader and graphic design teacher at DHS.
Competitions take place in the fall and spring and usually consist of events such as t-shirt designs or poster designs that promote a certain pathway in member’s local career academy.
Aside from the competitive element of SKillsUSA, another cornerstone of the club is its sense of community.
“When we go to the conferences we all stay in the same hotel, go out to eat together, and watch each other compete,” Garcia said.
With the number of opportunities the club provides (meetings, field trips, club bonding, etc.) and time commitment required, SkillsUSA may seem daunting to some students.
“To a certain degree, it’s up to [you] how much you want to do,” Garcia said. Competing, while preferred, is optional, so those who wish to participate, but not compete, are able to do so.
