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3/24/2010
- SkillsUSA Electronic Testing for Competitive Events3/25/2010
4/6/2010
- End of 3rd Grading Period4/13/2010
4/15/2010
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LOCATED UNDER WORK BASED LEARNING
Please check out the scholarship information under the Guidance section under Services. Current information about scholarship opportunities is listed in a pdf titled "Current Scholarships".
First Block at Career Center
BJSCC Directors Lay First Blocks for New Career & Technology Center
Former BJ Skelton Career Center directors Ben Smith and Dr. Mendel Stewart along with current director Leonard Williams laid blocks this week for the new career and technology center being built at 990 Chastain Road, Liberty. Pictured are Dr. Stewart, Ben Smith, and Leonard Williams. The new facilities are a part of the district’s $365 million facilities plan.
Check out our Building Futures Web site for updated site plans, schematics, fact tables, and floor plans as well as slideshows of work in progress. Slideshow
Check out our Building Futures Web site for updated site plans, schematics, fact tables, and floor plans as well as slideshows of work in progress. Slideshow
Grime Scene Investigation
Mrs. Martin’s 3rd grade class enjoys the “Grime Scene Investigation” presented by Kelsie Kimbrell (on left) and Miranda Watkins (on right)
BJ Skelton Career Center HOSA members Kelsie Kimbrell and Miranda Watkins brought “Grime Scene Investigation” to Liberty Elementary School this week. The students visited three classrooms where they taught the 3rd and 4th graders proper hand washing techniques and the importance of clean hands in preventing the spread of disease. After the classes practiced their hand washing techniques, they applied Glo Germ to their hands which highlighted any germs left when put under florescent light. Liberty Elementary teacher Michelle Merritt reported that “this was a very informative presentation about the importance of personal hygiene. The students enjoyed the fact that they were able to participate in the lesson through using the Glo Germ.”
As members of HOSA, Kimbrell and Watkins presented this “Community Awareness Problem” in preparation for competition at the HOSA State Leadership Conference which takes place in Charleston this March.
Carpentry Program Wins Canned Food/Keeping Warm Drive
The Carpentry program at BJ Skelton Career Center collected 147 of the 304 cans collected during the H.O.S.A Canned Food Drive during November 2 through December 15. Jim Garrison’s Carpentry I (juniors), Carpentry II (seniors) along with the Intro to Carpentry (sophomores) class did a great job bringing in canned goods for the food drive. Carpentry won this same competition last year. After the Christmas Holiday break, these classes will be treated with free snacks for winning the competition.
Culinary Arts Complete ServSafe
The students in Mrs. Kelly Holder’s Culinary Arts junior class at BJ Skelton Career Center recently successfully completed the National ServSafe examination. This certification program, which comes from the National Restaurant Association for foodservice professionals, will help the students enter the restaurant industry as well as making them more employable to restaurants in the Upstate.
Graphic Communication Class Helps Edwards Middle School
Mrs. Kellie Pepitone’s Edwards Middle School students are preparing to sell printed bags at the school store. They designed an emblem for Mr. Tim Hiott’s Graphic Communication class at Skelton Career Center to print on the bags. The Edwards Middle School students visited the graphics lab on November 24 to see how the graphic design process works. They will return the career center in December to help print the bags. This project incorporates STEM standards (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) which Ms. Pepitone prepared for by attending the STEM symposium this past summer. Mrs. Pepitone and another Edwards Middle School teacher, Mrs. Heather Beam, have combined forces to make this project a meaningful experience for their students.
Board Approves GMP for New Career & Technology Center
The new Career & Technology Center will be built at a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of $21,625,955. The board approved the price at a November 23rd meeting.
The price includes the balance of the site work excluded from the early site package as well as the building package and is reflective of the scope and design required by the district. H.G. Reynolds Company of Aiken will be the contractors for the project. The new school is expected to open in August 2011.
The price includes the balance of the site work excluded from the early site package as well as the building package and is reflective of the scope and design required by the district. H.G. Reynolds Company of Aiken will be the contractors for the project. The new school is expected to open in August 2011.
2009 Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Competition
Ford Motor Company has announced an award for BJ Skelton Career Center’s student winners in the 2009 Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Competition. Current career center student Charles Hill and 2009 graduate Daniel Pelfrey took first place in the State Finals qualifying for this award which includes four $100 Snap-on Tools gift certificates and will help provide essential tools and equipment for the Career Center’s Automotive Program. Shawn Alexander of Ford Motor Company says “To win the State Finals requires tremendous preparation, skill, and effort on the part of the students and their instructor, Phillip Smith. It is a testament to the strength of your automotive program.”
Photo (L-R Charles Hill, Instructor Phillip Smith, Daniel Pelfrey)
Jan Ayers Wins "Anatomy in Clay" Grant
On Monday, October 05, 2009, BJ Skelton Career Center instructor Jan Ayers was honored with a surprise celebration announcing that she had been awarded an “Anatomy in Clay” grant valued at $4000. Ayers was one of only seven South Carolina teachers to receive the grant award. This grant provides a hands-on approach to teaching anatomy increasing levels of engagement, enjoyment, and application of knowledge.
In collaboration with the SC Hospital Association (SCHA) and through the Career Cluster Partnership Grant provided by the SC General Assembly, the Office of Career and Technology Education co-sponsored Anatomy in Clay® workshops for health science and science teachers in May 2009. Participating teachers had an opportunity to apply for mini-grants to fund this classroom learning system and the accompanying curriculum.
Presenting the award were State Department of Education Health Science Coordinator, Nancy Allen, and SCHA representative, Rachel Branham. Students in Ayers Intro to Biomedical Sciences, a Project Lead The Way course, were treated to snacks and got to see one of the skeletons with clay body systems which will be a part of the Human Body Systems classroom next semester.
Board Approves Career & Technology Center
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Board Approves Revisions to Career & Technology
Center Design Development Architect Joel Carter presented new design development drawings of the career and technology center to the board on September 14. The new designs incorporate a reduction in square footage from 232,000 to 152,000. The board approved the revised designs which bring the new building into budget. According to Carter, the plans should be available in mid to late October. ... Design Development Drawings
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SkillsUSA National Winners
South Carolina brought home 4 medals from the National SkillsUSA Competitive Events held in Kansas City in June 2009. Skelton Career Center students won two of the four medals.
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Ag Program Selected as Outstanding Secondary Program
B. J. Skelton Agriculture Program Selected as Outstanding Secondary Program for Piedmont Region
David Jensen, Steve McCannon and Margaret Shelton are the Agricultural Education teachers at BJ Skelton Career Center.
The Agricultural Education program at B. J. Skelton Career Center was selected as the outstanding secondary agricultural education program for the Piedmont Region yesterday at the regional meeting of the South Carolina Association of Agricultural Educators. The teacher members of the SCAAE selected the BJ Skelton Career Center in recognition of their curriculum, course offerings, FFA Program of Activities and community involvement.
BJ Skelton Career Center is now eligible to compete for recognition as the outstanding Secondary Agricultural Program for the state of SC. This award will be announced in the spring of 2010. This award program is sponsored and promoted by the South Carolina Association of Agricultural Educators, the National Association of Agricultural Educators and the National FFA Alumni Association.
Board Approves Plans
Board Approves Schematics for Career and Technology Center
The School District of Pickens County Board of Trustees approved schematic designs for the new career and technology center at its meeting on November 24. Schematic designs are based on courses that will be offered at the center.
In regular meetings, a team composed of the architects, administrators and the school planning team examined the career center’s offerings in conjunction with courses that will be offered at the new high schools. Courses requiring large investments in equipment and space such as automotive technology, carpentry, cosmetology, culinary arts and Project Lead the Way will be offered at the center. Other career and technology center courses will complement the SDPC Schools of Study offerings at the new high schools. News Release ... Architects' Presentation
