Yudichak Fund Aids Mill Memorial Library

Adding To Sound Track Record    

By MARK GUYDISH mguydish@leader.net
 Saturday, January 15, 2005 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





PLAINS TWP. - The teens sported hard hats and steely focus and could barely
stop to give their name, much less a comment, as they cut and hammered wood
studs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Whap! Whap! Whap! It was noisy - migraine-prompting noisy. Despite the din,
teacher Douglas Shrader stood placidly as if this was a day off and the school
was nearly empty. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ``You should hear it when the shop is running,'' Shrader barked over the
racket as he pointed to machinery that sat silently. This was an unusual day
at the Wilkes-Barre Area Vocational Technical school: the annual District 1
Skills USA-VICA competition. VICA is short for Vocational Industrial Clubs of
America. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It was a school day but not all students entered the competition; entering
is optional. Some of those who opted out watched from a small balcony
overlooking Shrader's shop floor. Yes, they got the morning off, but come
afternoon, it was back to work. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 About 200 students from nine schools - there are 10 in the district, but
Tunkhannock Area couldn't make it Friday because of the morning snow -
competed in 38 areas, from architecture to welding, carpentry to masonry,
cooking to serving. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kids don't know their task until the day of the event, according to Tim
Turnbaugh, the school's vocational education coordinator. In Shrader's shop,
teams of four - carpenter, plumber, electrician and mason - worked together. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The carpenter constructed a wall frame with the plumber's help while the
mason built a square brick column with an electrician assistant. Then they
switched as the plumber put a sink on the wall and the electrician hooked in a
receptacle. Each person could get up to 25 points. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The team competition is ``relatively new,'' Shrader said. ``The good thing
about it is they get to work together, just like in the real world.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the kitchen, three separate competitions were held in three rooms:
baking, culinary arts and dining room service. The culinary kids put together
a meal of salad, soup, a meat entree, and a rice pilaf side dish. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 They scurried around stainless steel counters like teenage Iron Chefs,
measuring and weighing ingredients, chopping and cleaning. In the narrow space
between tables, it was hard to stay out of their way. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The dining service area was, predictably, more serene, though no less tense
for competitors as they set places and served judges imaginary meals. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Michael Lloyd, from the Hazleton Area Career Center, seemed distracted by a
photographer. He asked judge Jeff Piazza if he wanted anything else. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``The entree,'' Piazza prodded gently, having only been served his pretend
soup. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 At two hours, this was a short competition, compared to the five-hour state
championship sessions. Winners will go to the April event in Lancaster,
according to Bob Bartoni, chairman of the District 1 competition. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 State winners get a crack at nationals, and a few events have international
championships, he added. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But everyone wins simply by getting a chance to work together, see kids
from other schools, and test their skills under pressure. ``The key is to
stress the competition and what it does for the students,'' Bartoni said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 No doubt. And ``stress'' is the key word, from the looks of the teens'
faces. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Mark Guydish, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7161. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 CUTLINE: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 TIMES LEADER STAFF PHOTO/CLARK VAN ORDEN &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 skills competition1, waiter &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hazleton Area Career Center Senior Michael Lloyd, 17, serves judge Jeff
Piazza in the dining room service category of the District 1 Skills USA-VICA
competition Friday at Wilkes-Barre Area Vocational Technical School. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 skills competition2, overview of carpenters &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Carpenters, electricians, masons and plumbers had to work together for the
`Team Works' competition at the District 1 Skills USA-VICA competition at
Wilkes-Barre Area Vocational Technical School. The teams had to build a wall
frame and a brick column, install an outlet in the wall and mount a sink to
it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Skills competition3,cook weighing flour &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Delaware Valley High School student Marc Coda measures flour as he prepares
a four-course meal in two hours for the District 1 Skills USA-VICA competition
at Wilkes-Barre Area Vocational Technical School. Kids were so intent and
hurried that it was hard to get more than a name out of some. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 skills competition4, kids watching &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Not all Wilkes-Barre Area Vocational Technical students competed in the
District 1 Skills USA-VICA competition at the school Friday morning. These
kids watched the `Teams Work' event from a balcony above the shop. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Annual Vo-tech Competition Teamwork Is Trades' Mark Baking, Building And Installing Electrical Receptacles Among The Skills Displayed At Event.