SkillsUSA Annual Report 2012 - (Page 4)

STUDENT IMPACT Making Good on Her PROMISE SkillsUSA helps an “average” student on her way to becoming “exceptional.” J ust a few years ago, Victoria Holbert was a shy teenager who lacked self-conﬁdence and doubted her future. Today, the 18-year-old from Fitchburg, Mass., is a goal-oriented and accomplished young woman, on her way to becoming an ofﬁcer in the United States Marine Corps. Holbert sums up her transformation in one word: “SkillsUSA.” Ironically, she didn’t even want to join the organization at ﬁrst, but encouragement from older sister Haley, already a SkillsUSA member, ﬁnally prompted a lifechanging decision. Now, as a ﬁrst-year military cadet at Vermont’s Norwich University, Holbert is not just surviving the daily rigors of cadet life; she is excelling. “Training to earn the right to call myself a cadet is deﬁnitely one of the hardest things I have ever done,” she says. “We are pushed physically, emotionally and mentally every day. The leadership experience I gained through SkillsUSA has helped me to be prepared, manage my time and work well with others. These life skills make all the difference between success and failure.” When asked to name the top three most valuable lessons she learned in SkillsUSA, Holbert is quick to answer: “Capability, communication and selfconﬁdence.” What does she mean by capability? “How many teenagers can get to the airport and responsibly ﬁnd their way to a hotel [in a foreign environment] all by themselves?” she offers as an example. “So when I achieved the title of national president [Holbert was SkillsUSA’s 20112012 high school president], students were able to look at me and say, ‘If she can do it, so can I.’ Great things happen if you’re willing to work hard and put in the time and dedication. SkillsUSA enables every student to set lofty goals and realize their potential.” For Holbert, SkillsUSA’s Professional Development Program (PDP) was one of the most important tools in shaping that potential. The PDP teaches employability skills (teamwork, goal setting, meeting skills, résumé writing and many more) that students need to make a smooth transition to the workforce or higher education. “Those skills brought my professionalism to a whole new level,” Holbert says. “Everyone around me noticed.” They also noticed that this “average” student was beginning to show promise for so much more. SkillsUSA helped her fulﬁll that promise. She’s earned the “American Degree,” one of SkillsUSA’s highest honors. She’s received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for her community service efforts, and her “SkillsUSA enables every STUDENT to set lofty goals and REALIZE their POTENTIAL.” 4 • SkillsUSA Annual Report 2012 As for communication, Holbert takes pride not only in her improved communication with peers, but also in learning to interact with adults. When it comes to self-conﬁdence, Holbert credits SkillsUSA with providing “a great venue for all students to realize their talents,” creating a sense of value and self-worth. “I have never been a gifted person. I am as average as they come,” she says.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SkillsUSA Annual Report 2012

SkillsUSA Annual Report 2012
Contents
Who We Are
What We Do
Student Impact
Teacher Impact
Partner Impact
2012 Highlights
Support
Leadership
Financials
Get Involved

SkillsUSA Annual Report 2012