08/24/2018 MESSAGE

SkillsUSA Utah
State Directors Message for August 24, 2018
*Please forward/share this message with your CTE colleagues throughout your school/district.
 
As we start a new school year, I would like to take a moment to recognize the amazing efforts of our SkillsUSA students and advisors during the past year.  I want to congratulate every student that represented our great state during the annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, last June.  Once again, our students proved that they are among the finest skilled and technical science young professionals in the country.  I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize the contributions of the CTE professionals that trained and prepared our young people, and the administrators that provided significant support for our national competitors. 
 
Allow me to share some of the results of the national competition:  16 gold medals awarded, 12 silver medals awarded, 15 bronze medals awarded, 16 fourth place competitors, and 17 fifth place competitors.  There were 43 individual medals awarded to Utah contestants.  Utah ranked 8th in medals awarded among 52 states and US territories.  Congratulations for a job well done!
 
To assist our school/chapter officers and advisors as they plan and prepare for the state level events, please review all the information and action items listed below:
 
2018-2019 EVENTS & DEADLINES CALENDAR
SkillsUSA Utah’s Calendar is now available on our STATE WEBSITE (www.utahskillsusa.org) under ‘Important Files & Documents’ on the Home Page OR the Advisor Page OR the ULTI Page.  It will also be available on the ULSC Page and the NLSC Page when those pages are launched before the corresponding events.
 
SKILLSUSA UTAH STATE WEBSITE AND NATIONAL WEBSITE:

• SKILLSUSA UTAH WEBSITE: Check out our SkillsUSA Utah website at http://www.utahskillsusa.org/ 
  • SkillsUSA Utah owns and operates this website. We will constantly be editing and updating as needed so check it OFTEN.  We have many website pages with information specific to, but not limited to; ULTI, State Conference, National Conference, Advisors, Cluster Chairs, Technical Committee Members, Ed Team Leaders, Etc.
  • This website is for INFORMATION ONLY.  It will provide up-to-date information, instructions, and calendar dates for all of our SkillsUSA Utah events. All registration, account creation, etc. will be completed on the National Website for ALL events. (See Details below) No more duplicating efforts!

• WEBSITE FOR EVENT AND MEMBERSHIP REGISTRATION: Registration for ALL SkillsUSA Utah events and membership must be completed on the SkillsUSA National Website at www.skillsusa.org. 
  • We request that participants provide an accurate cell phone number, an accurate email address, accurate home mailing addresses for students and accurate school mailing addresses for advisors. We are anxious to communicate as much as possible with all of you, but can only do so with ACCURATE INFORMATION.
    • Cell phone numbers will only be used for extremely rare official SkillsUSA communication from the State Director and WILL NOT be sold to third parties.

 
​ADVISOR ACTION ITEM: UTAH LEADERSHIP TRAINING INSTITUTE (ULTI):
Our new state officer team is energized and prepared to lead our organization this year.  They, along with the state staff have been diligently preparing for numerous fall activities, starting with the Utah Leadership Training Institute that will be held Tuesday, October 10th at the Utah Valley University Student Center in Orem, Utah. I encourage all advisors and their school level SkillsUSA officers to attend this valuable leadership training / professional development event.  Your school student officers will return with resources, information and enthusiasm to direct your local school members through a productive and rewarding year in the SkillsUSA organization. 
 

• UTAH LEADERSHIP TRAINING INSTITUTE (ULTI) – MONDAY, OCT. 8TH, 2018
  • Registration Opens: Monday, Sept. 3rd, 2018
  • Regular Registration Deadline: Friday, Sept. 21st, 2018 ($5.00 Late Fee after this date)
  • Late/Final Registration Deadline: Monday, Oct. 1st, 2018
• Regular Registration Fee: $35.00 (9/3 - 9/21)
• Late Registration Fee: $40.00 (Additional $5.00 9/22 – 10/1)
• Registration for the ULTI event must be completed on the national SkillsUSA website. (www.skillsusa.org)  A step-by-step instruction sheet to complete ULTI registration is located on our state website, or Click Here.
• Please read and follow the instructions carefully. 
• ULTI participants are not required to register as members of SkillsUSA before completing the ULTI registration process. 
• For registration costs and additional details, refer to the CTSO Activity Summary Sheet for the 2018 ULTI event is located under “Conferences and Events”, then “2018 UTAH LEADERSHIP TRAINING INSTITUTE”, under “Important Form and Documents” or Click Here to be routed to the ULTI Page.

 
2018-19 SKILLSUSA MEMBERSHIP DUES: (Dues are unchanged from the previous year.)
 
Dues: (per person)                                                                     National dues   State dues         Total dues
Secondary (high school) student:                                               $  8.00             $  8.00             $16.00
Secondary (high school) instructor/professional              $20.00             $10.00             $30.00
 
Post-secondary (college) student                                               $8.00               $8.00               $16.00
Post-secondary (college) instructor/professional             $20.00             $10.00             $30.00
 
Special note #1: Paid professional membership dues will include free on-line access to the 2018-2019 National Technical Standards AND the 29 SkillsUSA Framework Career Essential lesson plans.
 
Special note #2: All national and state dues are paid to the National SkillsUSA office.  Additional membership registration information will be provided at the ULTI event.
 
SKILLSUSA UTAH CONTACT INFORMATION:
Mailing address: The street mailing address for all SkillsUSA Utah correspondence is:
SkillsUSA Utah
Attn: Richard Wittwer
4318 West 1275 South
Cedar City, Utah 84720
Please use this address when mailing checks, invoices and correspondence to SkillsUSA Utah. Make sure your accounting office is aware of this address.

Email Addresses & Phone Numbers
Richard Wittwer, State Director
*Please keep in mind I teach full time in addition to my State Director’s duties and will get back to you asap.
Cell Phone: 435-590-8386
Office Phone: 435-867-3938
E-mail: skillsusa.utahstatedirector@gmail.com
 
Angelee (Angie) Day, Assistant to the State Director
OFFICE HOURS:

• Mon/Wed/Fri: 9:00am -12:00 Noon
• Tue/Thu: 1:00pm – 4:00pm
  • She will reply to emails/answer calls outside of her regular office hours as time allows as well.

Phone: (385) 212-4727
E-mail: angelee.day@gmail.com (E-mail is preferred and will receive a quicker response)
 
Student Officer Team
E-mail: stateofficers@utahskillsusa.org
 

• PLEASE ENSURE ALL SCHOOL AND DISTRICT FIREWALLS ARE CONFIGURED TO ALLOW EMAILS FROM THESE EMAIL ACCOUNTS.  WE WANT TO ENSURE EVERYONE IS CAPABLE OF RECEIVING EXTREMELY IMPORTANT INFORMATION WHEN NEEDED!

 
NEW OFFICER TEAM ADVISORS:
We are pleased to announce that Patrick Thompson, a former SkillsUSA National Officer and Curt Crofts, from Dixie Technical College have joined the SkillsUSA Utah State Staff.  Their primary responsibility is to train, support and manage the Utah State Officer Team. We are fortunate to have these two gentlemen serving in our SkillsUSA Utah organization.
 
SKILLSUSA COMPETITION THEME FOR  2018-19:
The SkillsUSA competition theme for the 2018-19 school year is: SkillsUSA: Champions at Work: Career-Ready Starts Here. This theme is to be addressed by contestants in the Chapter Display, Prepared Speech and Promotional Bulletin Board competitions.
 
SKILLSUSA CHAPTER EXCELLENCE PROGRAM:
The national SkillsUSA organization has developed an amazing program to recognize SkillsUSA chapters that are providing excellent skill training, personal development, professional development, service activities and fun social activities for students. We strongly encourage students and advisors to review the chapter recognition opportunities provided by the Chapter Excellence Program and consider your full participation in the program.  Additional information and applications for the CEP can be accessed at the following link on the National Website: http://www.skillsusa.org/programs/chapter-excellence-program/   
 
Participation in the Chapter Excellence Program at any level is purely voluntary, but we encourage all Utah chapters to consider working towards the “Quality Chapter” Level 1 recognition, or a higher level of recognition if you have the time and resources to do so.  The application and documentation must be sent to the state director no later than February 18, 2018.
 
Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions, concerns or feedback.  I wish you all the very best for a wonderful year.
 
Warmest regards,
 
Richard Wittwer
SkillsUSA Utah State Director
skillsusa.utahstatedirector@gmail.org
435-590-8386 (cell)
435-865-3938 (office)
4318 West 1275 South, Cedar City, Utah 84720