By Ginnie Graham
The Tulsa World
Reprinted with permission
© May 5, 2007
The school offers the competitions as part of its SkillsUSA student
leadership program.
Nathan Pickering did not find much more than a cough drop on his suspect.
Pickering broke out in a sweat as he handcuffed the suspect, patted
down his clothes and had him take off his shoes. Eventually, he released
the suspect, and the two shook hands and had a laugh.
Pickering was relieved after the exercise
that was part of the Career Tech SkillsUSA state competitions Friday
at the Convention Center in downtown Tulsa.
He is a senior at Sapulpa High School and is finishing
the criminal justice program at the Central Technology Center in
Drumright. His contest includes demonstrating skill at arrests,
traffic stops, fingerprinting, interviewing, search warrants and
CPR.
"I'm confident in everything but rolling fingerprints
off a known person," Pickering said. "All my life I wanted
to be a cop, and I was told taking this course would help me. It
has taught me a lot and has given me confidence in a lot of areas.
"I've learned so many different tactics and
moves that will keep me alive in the field."
Langston University student Christopher Jones volunteered
to play the suspect. Jones graduated from a crime program at a
trade school in Texas and is seeking a bachelor's degree in criminal
justice.
"These programs give kids what they need to
know about the job," Jones said. "You get the training
to know what to expect on and off the streets. They've done a great
job at the competition. They come in and get right to it. I'm really
proud of what I've seen."
SkillsUSA is the student leadership
and skills organization of Career Tech. More than 12,000 members
belong to Oklahoma SkillsUSA.
The competitions are among the programs
at Career Tech schools, including plumbing, masonry, telecommunications
cabling, firefighting, cosmetology, drafting, graphic design, carpentry,
three-dimensional animation and heating.
Tulsa Technology Center student
Becca Bailey relaxed before the facial competitions began by joking
with her model. |
Nathan Pickering (right), a student at Central
Tech in Sapulpa, checks Langston University student Christopher
Jones for drugs or weapons during a mock arrest observed by Sgt.
Jason Jackson of the Jenks Police Department during the SkillsUSA
competition. |
"It's pretty nerve-wracking because you walk in not knowing what
to expect," Bailey said. "But for me, I just want to have fun."
Bailey is a senior at Metro Christian Academy and plans to attend Tulsa
Community College after graduation and earn a bachelor's degree in business.
She wants to own a salon and holds a state cosmetology certification.
"This has always been something I've been good at," Bailey
said. "Three years ago, I decided this is what I wanted to do, and
I set my mind to it. I definitely feel like I'm a step ahead of my other
classmates."
The TeamWorks contest, not far from the manicures and floral design
competitions, requires construction of a room within 16 hours.
Teams are made up of four students from different disciplines and must
build a bathroom/laundry room combination. The students start with only
the raw materials and a plan. They must lay the brick and masonry, put
in the plumbing and electricity and finish the room with cabinets and
drywall.
"It's exciting to do this," said Robert Mills, a student at
Central Tech in Drumright. "I like working with people and being
around the team. As long as we work together, everything works out fine."
Winners of the competitions will go to the national competitions in
the summer in Kansas City, Mo.
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