Skills USA

I dearly love to watch young people grow into themselves.  Last week my dear friends took me to see the awards ceremony for Skills USA.  Their daughter was a participant.  I quite enjoyed myself as I watched young people in high school and college win awards in areas as diverse as carpentry and plumbing all the way to culinary arts and robotics.  There were more than 14 pages of categories, I know, because my friend was on page 14 and wasn't in the last group receiving awards.  It was fun to watch the winners come back in with tool kits and cooking implements which they won along with an award that may take them to national competition.  I used to be very involved in youth theater, and have spent some time with the high school choirs.  Not every child is, or should be, college bound.  However, every child needs something to be interested in, somewhere to put in their time.  Someplace that will help them grow into a complete person.  Watching anyone, especially youth become more is very gratifying.  Even more gratifying is to grow yourself.  Continuing to take classes, learn new skills, new language, a new instrument,  all these things make us smarter people, more interesting, and capable.  It has been awhile since I took a new class, maybe it's time again.  

We also need people who can do the plumbing, be the chef,  create the beautiful pieces of furniture.  I have had the jobs you get with the college education. I have also had the jobs you get by working with your hands.  I had a lot of fun working with my hands.  Don't be too quick to dismiss a skills career, it might be more gratifying than the college-degree educated career.