"I was a High School dropout who had no options left in life and not because my parent didn't raise me right, they did. I was already a young parent in a bad situation. I found Gateway Technical College (now UACCB Batesville) as my way to improve my situation. They agreed to allow me to take college classes as long as I enrolled in their GED program. I would have to complete my GED in the first 9 weeks. Mr. Warr (Leslie) was my first instructor. Later on Ken Lowery would take over as instructor. Both of these instructors got me through automotive school. I was a VICA member and competed in state in 1991. Later Leslie would be the ETL that recertified the accreditation for my automotive classes. I did complete my GED in the timeframe also earned my Automotive Technical Certificate, 3 ASE certifications and worked full time to support my family. I worked for various automotive dealers for about 10 years. In 2002 I opened my own automotive business with the help of a dear friend, my wife and our six children. In the Fall of 2003 I began teaching at North Central Vocational Center in Leslie AR and became a SkillsUSA Advisor. Three of my children competed at state in various areas. I graduated from Ozarka College with Associates in Automotive Technology in 2010. I am now a ASE Master Automobile Technician and ASE Master Collision Technician. I am now working on ASE Diesel Certifications as well.
Bill Jackson was the Collision Instructor at NCCC and he was planning on retiring. He taught me Collision Repair and together we had our first SkillsUSA Gold Winner at State in 2014. In 2016 I left teaching and worked for Mark Martin Dealership for about a year as a Service Manager.
In 2017 I came to Huntsville High School as an Automotive Instructor.
In 2018 Huntsville HS won Gold in Customer Service for Arkansas and 8th at SkillsUSA Nationals. We only had 16 SkillsUSA students that first year.
In 2019 we had two third place winners at state and we took a group of students to attend Nationals in Louisville KY.
In 2020 we started the year off with Fall Leadership and learned of decreased state membership. My students decided to take it upon themselves to promote SKILLSUSA within our state. We had around 50 SkillsUSA members at HHS! We started off good, visiting and 3 different schools. The Officer Team would do an opening and closing ceremony and take questions about SkillsUSA. They mentored two of those schools to start their own programs. There was plans to visit more schools, state convention and Nationals, then COVID shut down the state. We did make Quality Chapter that year.
This year has been a challenge to say the least but not without its good points. We have a new CTE Center at Huntsville HS and I will be teaching Automotive and Diesel there in the Fall of 2021. With restrictions as to what the students could do, many of our plans for 2021 could not take place due to restrictions. The students pushed and pulled and fought to make it a good year. We joined in any event we could at the HS, Virtual Fall Leadership, Career Safe Video, Officer Fall Leadership, March Madness Food Drive (with other CTSO's) Vehicle Detailing, afterschool community service, Virtual State Competitions and Virtual National Leadership Conference and Competitions. In state our Officer Team took Gold, also Gold in Customer Service and Auto Parts Specialist and four of our SkillsUSA members earned ASE Certifications as well this year. We are Chapter of Distention Gold Level!! I think they pulled off a pretty good year, considering everything!
I believe in SkillsUSA for the all essential values that it instills in students. I want to give my students the options that are out there to help guide them, so that their road is not as rough as mine was."
Bill Jackson was the Collision Instructor at NCCC and he was planning on retiring. He taught me Collision Repair and together we had our first SkillsUSA Gold Winner at State in 2014. In 2016 I left teaching and worked for Mark Martin Dealership for about a year as a Service Manager.
In 2017 I came to Huntsville High School as an Automotive Instructor.
In 2018 Huntsville HS won Gold in Customer Service for Arkansas and 8th at SkillsUSA Nationals. We only had 16 SkillsUSA students that first year.
In 2019 we had two third place winners at state and we took a group of students to attend Nationals in Louisville KY.
In 2020 we started the year off with Fall Leadership and learned of decreased state membership. My students decided to take it upon themselves to promote SKILLSUSA within our state. We had around 50 SkillsUSA members at HHS! We started off good, visiting and 3 different schools. The Officer Team would do an opening and closing ceremony and take questions about SkillsUSA. They mentored two of those schools to start their own programs. There was plans to visit more schools, state convention and Nationals, then COVID shut down the state. We did make Quality Chapter that year.
This year has been a challenge to say the least but not without its good points. We have a new CTE Center at Huntsville HS and I will be teaching Automotive and Diesel there in the Fall of 2021. With restrictions as to what the students could do, many of our plans for 2021 could not take place due to restrictions. The students pushed and pulled and fought to make it a good year. We joined in any event we could at the HS, Virtual Fall Leadership, Career Safe Video, Officer Fall Leadership, March Madness Food Drive (with other CTSO's) Vehicle Detailing, afterschool community service, Virtual State Competitions and Virtual National Leadership Conference and Competitions. In state our Officer Team took Gold, also Gold in Customer Service and Auto Parts Specialist and four of our SkillsUSA members earned ASE Certifications as well this year. We are Chapter of Distention Gold Level!! I think they pulled off a pretty good year, considering everything!
I believe in SkillsUSA for the all essential values that it instills in students. I want to give my students the options that are out there to help guide them, so that their road is not as rough as mine was."