McCann Students Share Success StoriesBy Jack Guerino, iBerkshires Staff
12:30PM / Saturday, October 17, 2015 | |
 Representatives from both groups presented their work to the School Committee on Thursday. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The McCann School Committee heard success stories from both Business Professionals of America and SkillsUSA students.
The committee on Thursday heard a presentation from Tessa Christman of BPA and her classmates about various competitions in whicy they participate.
BPA is a career and technical student organization for students pursuing careers in business management, office administration, information technology and related careers.
BPA member Emily Shanley said she competed with the administrative support team, which times students' abilities to create documents in Microsoft Office.
"In order to be successful in this event it is important for all the member to work together and divide tasks based on each other's skills," Shanley said. "Although we saw other teams finish before us we took our time proof reading our work to make sure all tasks were complete and that we adhered to competition standards."
They then video conferenced with former McCann student and National post-secondary secretary and treasurer for the BPA Andrea Leal; she is currently studying abroad in England.
Leal informed the committee of her trip to Washington, D.C., to celebrate career and technical education with first lady Michelle Obama.
She said she met with officers from many different CTE organizations as well as a variety of educators and students. She was one of 15 students who were able to attend.
She said the experience was "incredible" and it was a pleasure to hear the first lady discuss the importance of CTE and its role in education.
Leal also gave advice to McCann students who are involved in BPA or interested.
"If I could see myself before getting involved with the BPA. I would not recognize myself today," Leal said. "No matter what challenges you face and no matter how scary they may be it is important because ... those challenges will often change who you are tomorrow."
Christman added that McCann has a strong history in the program and since 2005 the school has qualified for nationals every year, has had 37 top ten placements, and seven top three placements.
The committee then heard a presentation from SkillsUSA National Region 1 Vice president Samantha Dorwin and here counterparts.
SkillsUSA is partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce.
She said at the leadership and skills conference has three levels: districts, states, and nationals. Last year six McCann students competed with 15,000 other students in a 100 different competitions.
Charles Bohl and his automated technology team described their competition in which they are given a rough drawing of a model and they have to design the model on the computer and manufacture it as a team.
"We had to make use of our time and communicate between each other to make sure we do a really good job," Bohl said. "It is usually really competitive…and you do the best with the time you are given."
Dorwin explained her responsibilities as an officer and said she represents "over 360,000 of the most successful and driven high school students in the nation."
She said has been able to organize conferences, charitable outreach projects, and connect with industry and government officials. She said the position has allowed her to "not only improve herself, but the lives of others."
"This experience has impacted me in more ways than I have ever dreamed possible," she said. "When I started at McCann I was shy and so afraid of public speaking, but because of all of the training and opportunity that I have received I am now much more composed and confident."
Superintendent James Brosnan said he was proud of every student involved.
"There can be no doubt that this school and all of us are very proud of you and what you have accomplished," Brosnan You work as one team and tithe is what life is all about,".
Committee member William Craig said he was impressed by the professionalism of the students' presentations.
"I am impressed with their ability of them to stand up and speak to us so well with such confidence," Craig said. "They blew an awful lot of people that stand up and present at an executive level away."
James Gazzaniga said the presentations made him feel accomplished as a School Committee member.
"We sit in a conference room once a month ... we are talking about all of you people and providing you with the opportunity to run with the materials and instructors we make available," Gazzaniga said. "I am sitting here feeling validated by your stories…you have a life time of challenges and success in front of you all and it is nice to part of that process."
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