Festival of Champions UPDATE
The newest edition to the Louisiana SLSC is the Festival of Champions! The Festive of Champions is a takeaway from NLSC's event. The Festival of Champions will be a wind down event for the competitors and advisors alike. We have secured a venue at the Houma Municipal Auditorium located at 880 Verret St, Houma, LA 70360. A live band will be playing and we expect to serve food as well. We hope everyone will enjoy this new addition to our State Conference.
Louisiana State Officer Applications
Application for Secondary State officers are now open. Check out the website for details and the web application. Deadline is April 10 before the conference starts. A letter of recommendation from an advisor or administrator is required it can be submitted with the application as an attachment or sent directly to the State Director's email. https://skillsusala.org/state-officers#state-officer-apply
Louisiana SLSC Registration Deadline
The Louisiana State Leadership and Skills Conference is nearing! Be sure to get your members signed up and registered by March 15, 2024 to avoid extra fees and delays with your participants. Register you participants at https://www.skillsusa-register.org/
Plan Now for SkillsUSA National Signing Day on May 7
CALLING ALL CHAPTERS! SkillsUSA National Signing Day (NSD) is May 7, a day to celebrate the next generation of skilled professionals as students across the nation sign “letters of intent” committing to skilled career pathways! Help make this the biggest, boldest NSD ever by holding your own local NSD event and invite business partners, school administrators, teachers, elected officials, SkillsUSA alumni, family and friends to honor graduating seniors as they move forward for a job offer, apprenticeship or advanced technical training. Early bird registration opens March 13 and runs through March 29. Registration closes April 23. Signing Day is sponsored by the Lowe’s Foundation, State Farm and Constellation. Sign up early to earn free swag!
National Signing Day application-based opportunities
· Signing Day supply bundles valued at $500 will be awarded to 10 chapters (schools must register five or more students and complete the supply bundle application by March 29 to be eligible).
· Signing Day school grants of $250 will be awarded to 25 schools to enhance their event (schools must register five or more students and apply by March 29 to be eligible).
Early registrant opportunities
· Signing Day Starter Kit: Signing Day table runner, pack of 10 certificates, 10 pens, while supplies last (schools must register five or more students).
· Signing Day T-shirts: The first 2,000 student registrants receive a National Signing Day T-shirt.
· Signing Day Baseball Caps: The first 1,000 student registrants receive a National Signing Day cap.
· Lowe's Gift Cards: The first 100 advisors receive a Lowe's gift card (schools must register five or more students).
Hershey Heartwarming Young Heroes Grants Available
In partnership with The Hershey Company and Hershey’s Heartwarming Project, YSA is looking for the best ideas from young people about how they can support their community through acts of awareness, direct service, advocacy and philanthropy for Youth Service Month & Global Youth Service Day 2024. Hershey Heartwarming Young Heroes Grants of $250 and $500 will be awarded to young people between the ages of 5 and 25 in the U.S. and Canada to turn their ideas into action! Projects may address any issue or community need that is important to the youth project leaders and their peers, and all proposed projects should engage a diverse group of youth volunteers from different backgrounds while providing opportunities for volunteers to create meaningful connections. Learn more about the program and share your idea by March 10.
SkillsUSA Scholarship Application Deadlines
Exploring and applying for SkillsUSA scholarships has become a seamless process. SkillsUSA student members can discover eligibility criteria, scholarship amounts, and submit applications in one location: SkillsUSA Scholarship Application Hub. The available scholarships are listed below, as well as their close date. Please encourage your SkillsUSA student members to apply and take advantage of these incredible scholarships!
Closes April 15:
● Sharon Melton Myers Memorial Scholarship
● The AHRI Clifford "Ted" Rees Memorial Scholarship
● The Fieldpiece #MasteroftheTrade Scholarship
● The Fine Homebuilding #KeepCraftAlive Scholarship
● The Larry Rash Memorial Scholarship
● The Marsha Daves Memorial Scholarship
● The National Technical Honor Society Scholarship
Closes May 6:
● 2024 Robert Flint Student Leadership Development Scholarship: Leverage
Opens March 23 - Closes May 22:
● Harbor Freight Tools for Schools
○ SkillsUSA is proud to announce, in partnership with Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, a scholarship opportunity for SkillsUSA high school members. Applicants can receive up to $1,500 to attend the 2024 National Leadership & Skills Conference.
Closes May 31:
● The Bob Westphal Memorial Scholarship
For scholarship resources and tips on how to submit a quality application, visit the SkillsUSA Scholarships and Grants webpage. If you have questions, contact Jordan Sewell.
College Gable Grants from Lowe’s
The Lowe’s Foundation has launched Gable Grants: a commitment to preparing the next generation of skilled tradespeople. Through the Gable Grants program, the Lowe’s Foundation will provide $50 million over the next four years to community and technical colleges and community-based nonprofit organizations. Those funds will help prepare 50,000 job-ready skilled tradespeople to build a stronger infrastructure that supports communities for the long term. Lowe’s is looking for community and technical colleges working to increase the number of young and diverse people in the workforce, especially from underrepresented and rural communities. Lowe’s is currently accepting unrestricted grant applications from community and technical colleges through March 31.
Press Release Template for State Conference Participants
New on the SkillsUSA Advocacy site is a press release template for state conference participants and their advisors to share competition results with your hometown media. Parents, instructors, students or anyone can send these emails. Please spread the word about SkillsUSA in your community. Share this advocacy resource link at your school and at your state conferences. For questions, email Jane Short.
Official SkillsUSA Competition Apparel
With SkillsUSA competition season in full swing, there is no better time to visit the SkillsUSA store and set yourself up for success! Shop for competition attire, the SkillsUSA blazer, the official SkillsUSA white polon, safety goggles and everything in between.
Presidential Honors for Selfless SkillsUSA Service
At the 2024 NLSC, SkillsUSA will recognize advisors, students and registered alumni for their community service through the President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA). To qualify, SkillsUSA members must submit a record of their service hours. With SkillsUSA’s focus on community service, your students may have already met the requirements! For details on how to apply, visit the website. Applications must be received by March 31 for recognition at the 2024 NLSC.
Seeking Musical Talent to Perform National Anthem at NLSC
Do you have a musical gift to share with the SkillsUSA community? If so, apply to perform the national anthem at the opening session of SkillsUSA’s National Leadership & Skills Conference this June. The chosen performer will be offered complimentary conference registration if their sole purpose of attendance is to perform the national anthem. Apply by 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 2. For questions, contact Melinda Lloyd.
Spring SkillsUSA Professional Development Offerings
Take your SkillsUSA knowledge to the next level with SkillsUSA’s virtual Professional Development offerings. Sessions include new advisor training, the Chapter Excellence Program, how to apply for scholarships and more. Visit our training webpage and sign up now for the sessions that interest you. All sessions are free and open to any SkillsUSA advisor.