SkillsUSA Awards and Recognition Book 2022 - 33

RECOGNITION
Outstanding Career and Technical Educators Continued
Tony Reggi
Dr. Tony Reggi is an education program administrator for the North
Carolina Community College System. He began his SkillsUSA journey
as a student member and state officer in West Virginia and currently
supports SkillsUSA activities and events at several colleges in the
state. Having received his airframe and power plant license through
an apprenticeship program, he experienced the benefit of the same
hands-on skills approach that he's spent his career advocating for
on behalf of career and technical education students. In his current
role, he coordinates CTE programming and activities for the state's
community college system. He also serves as a Perkins coordinator,
providing direction to community college CTE instructors and administrators on how Perkins
funding can be properly used to support SkillsUSA. Reggi serves on the SkillsUSA North
Carolina Board of Directors and promotes the development of SkillsUSA chapters throughout
the North Carolina community college system. He also oversaw the adult prison education
program and worked to establish an effective CTE training program that led to a reduction in
recidivism among participants. Throughout his distinguished career, Reggi has shown himself
to be a true champion of career and technical education, and his dedicated service continues
to make a positive difference.
David Praiswater
SkillsUSA advisor and commercial construction instructor David
Praiswater has spent 17 years at Washburn (Kan.) Institute of
Technology supporting career and technical education and
SkillsUSA at the local, state and national levels. Under Praiswater's
leadership, 29 students from Washburn have served as state officers,
and one has become a national officer. Since 2008, the school has
participated in more than 1,500 SkillsUSA career competitions while
earning 695 medals, including 18 at the national level. Serving on
the SkillsUSA Kansas Board of Directors for six years, Praiswater
encouraged numerous business and industry partners to become
corporate sponsors of SkillsUSA. Always looking for ways to enhance
his program with the latest trends in the industry, he charges his students to construct a
building from the ground up each year and then tear it down, preserving the materials to be
used again. Each class is scored by its teamwork, efficiency, customer service and strategy
implementation. Praiswater also brings in experts from the field to talk with his classes
and takes students on tours of construction sites so they can watch experts in action. He
advocates for CTE to legislators at the state capitol and works with industry partners within
the community to make sure he's teaching the latest technology in his classroom. When asked
why he teaches technical education, Praiswater responded, " Because it's relevant to the future
success of my students. My goal is to impact the construction workforce by sending qualified
and knowledgeable graduates to the industry. I want my graduates to know the same kind of
job security that has been held by past generations ... you can't outsource construction. "
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2022 AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

SkillsUSA Awards and Recognition Book 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SkillsUSA Awards and Recognition Book 2022