GaDOE e-newsletter [Aug. 2006]

GaDOE E-Newsletter Career, Technical and Agricultural Education Division
August 2006
What's In This Edition? 30th Annual National HOSA Leadership Conference Mill Creek High School's Hovercraft Works! National TSA Conference GACTE Summer Conference Skills USA National Leadership and Skills Conference
Health Care Science Technology
"30 Annual National HOSA Leadership Conference"
The 30th Annual National HOSA Leadership Conference was held June 21 through June 25th in Anaheim, California. 5, 600 people from around the country attended this event, 240 of those where from the Georgia HOSA delegation including students, advisors and parents.
Whether it was your first or your 30th NLC, there is always the excitement and the anticipation of the Opening General Session. This year was no exception! The crowd flocked to the Anaheim Convention Center to experience the magic of HOSA. The fever spread rapidly through the crowd as the HOSA delegates from across the nation cheered and enthusiastically welcomed the opening of the 30th Anniversary Celebration of HOSA. The delegation was greeted with pyrotechnics, a laser show, and the new HOSA video.
Over 30 exhibitors were present at the National Leadership Conference. The exhibitors included American Academy of Orthotists & Prosthetists, Pocket Nurse, Thomson Delmar Learning, Pearson Prentice Hall, U.S. Army ROTC, Applied Technologies and many more. With the help of many of these exhibitors, HOSA delegates were able to obtain more information about their future health care careers. Attendees also had the opportunity to hear an inspirational message from Admiral Moritsugu, the Deputy Surgeon General of the United States. Admiral Moritsugu is one of the nation's leading public health officials, and a person who has devoted his life to helping others. Admiral Moritsugu has been an advocate for organ and tissue donation and transplantation, and he has received the Surgeon General's Medal for Exemplary Service.
National HOSA is proud to work with over 50 health care partners to retain outstanding HOSA members in the pipeline for the healthcare professions. HOSA's partners contributed approximately $188,000 in scholarships to state and national recipients with over $40,000 being awarded at the National

Leadership Conference. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta presented two $1,000 scholarships at the GA HOSA State Leadership Conference. The two winners were Monai Lowe of Oconee High School and Ha Le of Riverdale High School.
The Georgia Delegation was awarded the "Most Professional Dressed" award presented by the National Executive Committee. GA HOSA was also recognized for its continued growth in membership. At the NLC, the GA HOSA students competed in 50 different events at both post-secondary and secondary levels, with several students placing nationally.
The conference was an all out success and everyone was sad to see it end!
Technology Education (Technology Student Association)
"The Hovercraft Works!"
Mill Creek High School's engineering and technology program is "Flying Low!" Students in Mr. Burrows' his class wanted to tackle a project unlike any other seen in Georgia. This school is one of only five high school teams in the country that built a fully functional
hovercraft. A hovercraft is a vehicle that rides on a cushion of air over land or water. While other schools have built small scale models powered by "shop-vacs" or "leaf blowers," Mill Creek's Engineering students built the real thing. Their craft is 13- feet long, 6- feet wide and is powered by twin, gasoline engines totaling 15 horsepower. With its 500-pound payload capacity it can easily carry two passengers.
After studying the principals of physics that apply to hovercrafts the students started building their own, guided only by a set of mechanical drawings and a few local hovercraft experts. The students are used the skills that they developed in their engineering coursework and applied them to this "real world" project. They worked collaboratively as they examined the plans, made modifications, developed solutions, implemented their ideas and evaluated their designs. This is the essence of engineering.
Mill Creek's Engineering program has also joined the Hoverclub of America and has received tremendous support from two of its members. Harold Carter and Donnie Filaski offered their time and expertise to the project. This combined with the students' ingenuity and motivation proved to be a powerful force for success. The students were so highly motivated by this project that Mr. Burrows had a hard time

keeping them out of the classroom. They regularly asked to work on weekends and days off!
Once the craft was complete Mr. Burrows towed it to Chillicothe, Ohio where his students participated in the Hoverclub of America's annual "Hover-rally." At this event the students had the opportunity to test their design and craftsmanship against that of other hovercraft enthusiasts from across the nation.
The Georgia Chapter of the America Hoverclub pooled their funds and assisted Mill Creek's engineering program with the cost of the engines and Georgia Foam graciously volunteered their product fabrication of the hovercraft. For more information on these organizations or about Mill Creek's project, please visit the Mill Creek web page at http://mchshoverclub.atspace.com. For information about Mill Creek's Engineering program please contact Glenn Burrows at glenn_burrows@gwinnett.k12.ga.us.

"National TSA Conference"

college representatives.

The 28th annual National Conference of the Technology Student Association was held in Dallas, Texas on June 21st25th, 2006 at the Adam's Mark Hotel. Throughout the week, participants competed in the various TSA competitive events,
including prepared speech, problem solving, technology bowl, graphic design, and dragster design. Over 5,000 individuals from across the United States, and Germany attended general
sessions with keynote speakers such as Phyllis C. Rawley, and enjoyed the education fair which involved TSA partners and

The Adam's Mark proved to be a great site for the conference, and Dallas held many fun opportunities. Rodeos, restaurants, museums, and the JFK Memorial were only a few of the many attractions found in Dallas. Texas TSA and the National TSA officers spiced up the sessions with dancing and singing performances.

Georgia TSA had many finalists and received numerous national recognitions. The conference was an over all success and members are already planning for next year's National Conference in Nashville, Tennessee!

"GACTE Summer Conference"

The Georgia Association for Career and Technical Education held their annual conference at the Waverly Renaissance Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia from July 16th-21st. Three
State Officers of the Georgia Technology Student Association attended this conference, as well
as State Officers from six other Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs).

Ashlee Hatcher State Secretary from Lovejoy High School, Erin Farrell State Second Vice President from Toombs County Middle School, Erin Summerlin State Reporter from Toombs County High School, and member Hudson Greer from Lovejoy High School were the representatives from Georgia TSA, along with State Advisor Ron Barker, and State Coordinator Gayle Silvey.
This conference was host to thousands of career and technical education teachers from across the state. Ann Creamer, North American Director for IBM was the keynote speaker for Sunday's opening session, and spoke about her work with the governor and various state committees to increase the knowledge and experience of not only CTSO students, but students throughout the state of Georgia through essential workforce development programs.
Monday the 19th, the officers attended a morning breakfast session where Governor Sonny Perdue spoke about the essential role of Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) in Georgia. He commented on building up Georgia's competitive edge based on rigor, relevance, and relationships focusing on CTAE.
State Superintendent of Schools, Kathy Cox spoke on the new Georgia Performance Standards, the reorganization of the CTAE division, and improving curriculum to prepare students for the workforce of the future. Commissioner Michael Thurmond presented on students preparing for the workforce through involvement in CTSOs, parental involvement, and the need to increase high school graduation rates.
Mr. James Woodard, Director for Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education commented on curriculum revision, performance standards, leadership, and the new vision for CTAE and CTSOs.
Tuesday morning, the TSA officers, along with Mrs. Silvey presented their session "It's Due When?!?! How to Avoid Panic Attacks and Get Your Year Organized with Georgia TSA!" They presented to over 100 Technology Education teachers and administrators. The program began with an introductory skit by the officers and TSA Advisor Mr. Steve Price of Riverdale High School. The session consisted of general information about TSA, how to prepare for conferences, and how to plan their year with a program of work. The session explained how Georgia TSA is a co-curricular and integral part of the technology education program. After the presentation, a prize drawing of Georgia TSA materials was conducted.
Throughout the conference, the state officers received the opportunity to speak with teachers that are part of their respective CTSOs and prospective teachers. Amidst extending their communication and information to teachers across the state, and re-connecting with teachers and administrators already involved in their organizations, the officers worked together to increase the knowledge about the necessity of Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) throughout Georgia.

Trade and Industrial Education
"National Leadership and Skills Conference"
On June 16, 2006, the Executive Committee of SkillsUSA Georgia arrived in Kansas City, Missouri, to begin preparing for the week long SkillsUSA National Conference. Three days later, they were joined by fifty advisors who were accompanying the one hundred and eight state first-place winners who would go on to compete in their respective areas. After five days and sixty-six competitions, the Georgia delegation returned home with twenty gold medalists, eleven silver medalists, and six bronze medalists. In addition to the medalists; twenty-two of the competitors were ranked in the Top 20, ten ranked in the Top 15, twenty ranked in the Top 10, and four ranked in the Top 5.