new skillsusa chapter
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SIX STUDENTS FORM NEW SKILLSUSA CHAPTER AT TSTC
by Dave Ralph
ual Enrollment students from Rio Hondo and Los Fresnos high schools, who attend a front suspension class in Automotive Technology at Texas State Technical College Harlingen, organized SkillsUSA Chapter 3557 to enter regional competition. J.C. Rodriguez of Rio Hondo placed second in the speed and skills competition March 1 that Texas District 13 of SkillsUSA held at TSTC and he qualified for the state competition in San Antonio. Three of the Chapter 3557 students – Rodriguez and Leeroi Sanchez and Epimanio Atkinson, both of Los Fresnos High School – entered AUT notebooks in the regional event. The other three chapter members include Nick Bella of Los Fresnos and Eddie Zepeda and Alex Alcantar of Rio Hondo. The youngsters simultaneously earn tuitionfree credit toward high school graduation that also goes on their college transcript through Dual Enrollment. More than 1,000 students representing schools from Brownsville to Laredo participated at the District 13 event in technical skills ranging from leadership and organization to computers, business and construction. Rodriguez, however, will be unable to compete at San Antonio due to a lack of funds.
It’s a successful start for the chapter, Bella said, and more SkillsUSA projects could take shape for the 2008-2009 academic year as he, Sanchez, Rodriguez and Alcantar return to the AUT program. In fact, Sanchez, Alcantar, Zepeda and Atkinson plan to enroll as TSTC students in the AUT program after high school graduation. “The possibility of us forming a SkillsUSA chapter came up in class discussion and then it became a team effort,” said Sanchez, the chapter president. “SkillsUSA preparation and the competition helped us because we were required to put more effort into our work.”
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In recognition of these outstanding achievements, TSTC Harlingen is proud to announce the availability of the President’s Volunteer Service Award, a prestigious national honor offered in recognition of volunteer commitment. Established in 2003, this award is given by the president of the United States and honors individuals, families and groups who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to volunteer service over the course of 12 months. TSTC has teamed with hundreds of organizations and businesses across the country to deliver this award to our most outstanding volunteers. As a certified organization of the President’s Volunteer Service Award, we can nominate potential recipients - students and employees - and distribute the award to those who meet or exceed the award criteria. “TSTC is extremely proud to join the president of the United States in recognizing the volunteers who consistently take the time to make a difference in the lives of others,” said Richard Kirk, director of the Office of Student Success. “We are proud to honor our volunteers 18
Mustang Messenger | April / May 2008
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STC graduate Armando Rangel uses his Associate of Applied Science degree in Machining Technology to simultaneously pursue both of his career interests – machining technician and guitarist – because he’s producing guitars and looking for auditions to become an entertainer. After commencement in spring 2007, he enrolled in August at the Guitar Luthiery in Phoenix. The school specializes in making guitars and he completed studies there in February. Now, he is employed with the Paul Reed-Smith Guitar Co. in Stevensville, M.D.
“I know what guitars do and I know how they’re made,” Rangel said. “The reason I chose to make the machining part of the guitars is because I will get paid more than the hand craftsmen.”
Dual Enrollment students include, left to right, J.C. Rodriguez, Eddie Zepeda and Alex Alcantar of Rio Hondo, AUT instructor and SkillsUSA advisor Frank Viramontes, Lee Sanchez, Epimenio Atkinson and Nick Bella of Los Fresnos. Three of the students participated in the District 13 SkillsUSA competition.
“We teach our students to work clean and utilize the most modern techniques and computerized equipment. That image of automotive technicians being grease monkeys is outdated,” said Frank Viramontes, AUT instructor and the chapter’s advisor. He helped the youngsters fill out and submit the chapter application, which gained approval in February. He also worked with Wal-Mart, Fitness Zone and Marina’s Cleaners to provide SkillsUSA shirts for the group. “There’s already SkillsUSA in the high schools, so why not have a team from TSTC? This chapter should help student retention because it makes these kids feel like they’re part of something,” Viramontes concluded.
volunteer service award exas State Technical College Harlingen has a long, proud history of volunteer service. Our volunteers are working to meet the needs of their peers and the community by participating in TSTC clubs/organizations.
guitar man
by Joshua Hernandez, VISTA Learning Coordinator
who are answering the call with this award.”
To qualify for the President’s Volunteer Service Award, volunteers simply submit a record of their service hours through the appropriate Web Site and TSTC’s Student Success Office will verify the service and deliver the award.
Volunteer service hours are not limited to those performed on behalf of TSTC. In fact, service hours can be accumulated through work on a variety of projects throughout the year. The only requirement is that the necessary hours be completed within 12 months; recipients can qualify for a new award each year. “Our volunteers should strive to earn the President’s Volunteer Service Award every year,” said Kirk. “Even if you’ve never volunteered before, the award is within your reach.” The President’s Volunteer Service Award is issued by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation – created by President George W. Bush - to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers make to our nation. To learn more and find out how to qualify for the award, contact Joshua Hernandez, our VISTA Learning Coordinator, at 956.364.4142 or visit www.PresidentialServiceAwards.gov.
In Phoenix, he built two guitars, an acoustic based on a Martin dreadnaught and an electric based on a discontinued Gibson model. Each project required a lot of gluing, cutting, sanding, body preparation and finish work. His machining background prepared him for making precision measurements within one-thousandths of an inch, working with fractions and decimals, and using sharp equipment. The projects required meeting industry specifications associated with companies such as Martin, Fender, Gibson and Paul Reed-Smith. Different types of wood produce variations in sound. Rangel said that mahogany, spruce and Spanish cedar are woods frequently selected by craftsmen. Many companies are gradually starting to use more exotic woods such as zebrawood and Bolivian rosewood although some of the exotic woods are becoming scarce due to deforestation in jungles or production regions. The endangered woods are becoming increasingly expensive and the purchase requires special clearance through exportimport policies.
Guitar designs could go to radical extremes, but young guitar-makers attempt to impress companies with quality craftsmanship and sound by making Fender, Gibson, Paul Reed-Smith and Martin models, he said. He began playing guitar at age 12 under the guidance of his older brother while they lived in Alice. “My brother was pretty good and he demanded a lot out of me. He has the ability to teach people to teach themselves,” he added.
Rangel said that becoming a professional guitarist presents special challenges. “The music industry is difficult to enter because often success is based on popularity and not necessarily real talent. Right now, singing and dancing are driving the entertainment industry.”
He listens to and appreciates many types of music ranging from classical to hard rock ‘n’ roll, but he admitted to a slight preference for the rhythm and blues. His first public appearance as a guitarist came in 2007 during “Colors of the Diaspora” at TSTC, which celebrated the progress of African-Americans and ethnic diversity.
overcoming challenges
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ictoria L. Ambriz represented more than the Students Promoting Anime & Manga Club during the 2008 Ms. TSTC Scholarship Competition. Rolling onto the stage in her wheelchair, she also represented the ability of handicapped people to overcome what some people might perceive as substantial challenges.
The 2007 graduate of Harlingen High School enrolled at Texas State Technical College Harlingen for fall semester with lofty goals. She plans to eventually pursue a degree in education to become a high school teacher or enter a pre-law program for a career in law.
Her participation in the scholarship competition did not surprise alumni from Harlingen High School familiar with her previous
by Dave Ralph
by Dave Ralph
activities and involvement. Ambriz, the daughter of Elida Velasquez, enrolled in the leadership class at Harlingen High School, where she did 30 hours of community service in projects like helping children undergoing physical therapy make name tags. “I like to experience things and see what’s out there,” said Ambriz, who volunteered as a tour guide during Tech Day at TSTC on March 5. “I don’t let my wheelchair hold me back and I don’t use it as an excuse. I like to be independent and move forward.”
She likes to spend time with friends and family, and she appreciates art. She described listening to Spanish music as a passion. “It has more rhythm and I feel more into it,” she explained. Ambriz served as a Muscular Dystrophy Association representative in 2006 and helped raise funds for the Jerry Lewis telethon. Spinal muscular atrophy type II restricts her to the wheelchair. She admitted that she was quite shy in elementary school, but she gradually increased her participation in student activities in middle school and high school.
A fan of the television series “Law & Order,” she chose to attend TSTC to gain college experience and then decide on a path to further her education. And, she offered some advice to children who face any type of disability: “Don’t let your disability hold you back.” Mustang Messenger | April / May 2008
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