SkillsUSA is a core part of Dover Area High School’s (DAHS) Career and Technical Education (CTE) program with its mission of empowering students so that they can become skilled professionals that are career-ready. SkillsUSA helps many students succeed in their career goals. One key part of SkillsUSA is their conferences where they learn the necessary skills to thrive in SkillsUSA.

On Nov. 9, the DAHS SkillsUSA students waited for the announcement of this year’s PA Central Regional Advisor of the Year. The winner is DAHS’s Graphic Design and Multimedia teacher Tim Smith. When reflecting on his feelings after the win, Smith said that he “felt honored. It was pretty special to get recognized. To be nominated is one thing, but to get chosen as Advisor of the Year…I was very appreciative.”

While winning is a big accomplishment, Smith doesn’t plan on stopping there. “One of my goals has always been to get established as a chapter of excellence. I would like to get us recognized as a quality chapter.” A chapter of excellence (or the Chapter Excellence Program (CEP)) is a three-level system that encourages and builds successful chapters. The Quality Chapter is the first level of recognition. The official SkillsUSA website states that this level, “honors chapters for achieving essential standards of excellence.”

However, SkillsUSA isn’t the only place where Smith is making an impact. He is also helping many students in his day-to-day classes. Sophomore and multimedia student Eric Bernard shares the same positive sentiments about Smith,“Mr. Smith’s class has positively affected my education because he has helped me to understand the meaning of teamwork in creative spaces.”

Smith’s classes are also educational and can be utilized in personal hobbies and skills. “I learned a lot of photo composition rules, and I’ve applied them while drawing and taking photos as well,” stated Bernard.