Opening Ceremonies

Ashliegh & Evan getting ready to board the bus to Opening Ceremonies.

Chef Steinborn & Ashley looking cool in their official dress.

Ms. Ross & Evan
Hey, Evan! Where's your hat?

Mr. Wright helping Jeff with his tie.

Ashleigh & Chef Steinborn at Kemper Arena.

Team Digital Media Arts:
Ian, Mrs. Holladay & JeffIan, Mrs. Holladay & Jeff looking cool (but it was really really really HOT) in their plastic hats and wool coats.

Evan & Ms. Ross at Kemper Arena
Evan's hat still has not appeared?

Ashleigh excited about the ceremonies.

Jeff with this thunder sticks.

Rockin' the Red Coats

Enjoying the rock concert type atmosphere.

MICHIGAN

The Ceremony Begins.

A storm came in quickly after the ceremonies ended - giving us a slight relief from the heat. Putting the end to a very long day.

Push-Ups for Pins

Ashleigh does push-ups for a pin.

Pin collecting? You may ask what in the world does that have to do with SkillsUSA - well as it turns out a lot. At the National Conference - every state brings it's own pin. And during the conference you trade pins with other participants. It gives people a reason to talk and learn a little bit about each other. And for some people it can become quite a sport (me included.) Today is a big day for pin trading. By the end of the day, most people have traded all their pins and some of the other pins - to get the pins that they have deemed the coolest. This is done in the midst of wandering through the Techspo at Bartle Hall. The Techspo is a big convention that takes place during the actual competition - so when you have down time you can wander through and talk with the exhibitors, pick up some free gifts (key chains, candies, bags, water bottles - you name it.)

Today was also filled with competition meetings - because the competition starts tomorrow. Tonight we head off to opening ceremonies.

Jeff and Chef Steinborn trying to figue what they are doing with this "game."

Jeff is still confused.

Jeff, Ian & Mrs. Holladay showing off their newly collected pins.