PIQUA — Students from Interactive Media and their Instructor, Susan Caudill, shared information on multiple projects the students have been working on this year during the May 22 meeting of the Upper Valley Career Center’s Board of Education. The students featured a project completed for the Johnston Farm and Indian Agency in Piqua along with several other websites they have developed. The students shared how they combined art, photography, and computer concepts to create the sites.

Upper Valley Career Center recognized four local businesses with the OSBA Business Honor Roll Award for their contributions to Upper Valley Career Center in 2023: Buckeye Ford, Chilltex LLC, Midmark Corporation, and Perrigo.

Superintendent Jason Haak shared Lt. Gov. Jon Husted visited Upper Valley Career Center for In-Demand Jobs Week. He toured several labs and participated in several signings of some juniors who will be entering the pre-apprenticeship program.

Haak said Upper Valley Career Center also hosted Garret Arnold and Randy Chenault from the U.S. Senator J.D. Vance’s office as well as Dee Smith, executive director of the Ohio Association of Career Technical Educators.

Haak said Upper Valley Career Center was recognized by the Miami County Safe Communities Coalition for having the largest overall percentage increase in seat belt usage from the previous year during the 2023 School Seat Belt Challenge. During this year’s challenge, Upper Valley Career Center recorded a 93.95% seat belt usage, up 22.5% from the previous year and ranking UVCC fifth amongst all county schools.

Haak provided an update on the State FFA Convention results:

• UVCC FFA: State Degree Recipients- Shelby Brant, Nathan Kunk, Braydon Puthoff , Willam Reed, Russell Hoying, Troy Zimpfer, Michael Hagan, Gold Rated Officers Books – Shelby Brant (Treasurer), Ben Goettemoeller (Secretary)

• Houston/UVCC FFA: State Degree Recipients – Ethan Lukey, Gabe Dershem

Proficiency Awards – Alex Kellersmith, first place Diversified Horticulture and third place Accounting Award, Luke Beaver, third place Forest Management, Lucas Langenkamp, first place Goat Production, Anna Henry, first place Specialty Animal

• Gold Rated Officer Books – Makayla Burch (Secretary) and Alex Kellersmith (Treasurer) Silver Rated Officer Books- Katie Maier (Reporter)

• Fairlawn/UVCC FFA: State Degree Recipients – Eli Putnam , Jameson Huelskamp, Jackson Huelskamp, Trey Sparks, Ryleigh Werling, Gold Rated Officer Books – Ryleigh Werling (Reporter), Martha Chrisman (Secretary), Emily Lessing (Treasurer)

• Fort Loramie/UVCC FFA: Ag. Mechanics and Engineering, ninth place, Nate Boerger, Austin Pleiman, Beau Schafer

• Covington/UVCC FFA: Gold Metal Chapter, Top Ten Overall Chapter, Top Ten Growing Leaders, Top Ten Strengthening Agriculture, Top Ten Building Communities, Ag. Processing Proficiency – first place in State – Connor Sindelir, Small Animal Proficiency – second place in State – Kori Moore, Poultry Proficiency – third place in State – Lainee McMaken, Agriscience Fair Division I Power Systems – second place in State – Brock Lyons, Agriscience Fair Division I Plant Systems – second place in State – Bella Batdorf, State Degree – Kori Moore and Lainee McMaken

• Newton/UVCC FFA: State Degree Recipients- Chloe Shellenberger, Arianna Vannus Gold Rated Officer Book- Erika Shellabarger (Treasurer)

• Jackson Center/ UVCC FFA: State Degree Recipient- Riley Barhorst, Gold Rated Officer Books- Kathryn Prenger (Treasurer), Zoe Razzano (Secretary), Middle School Career Quiz Bowl- first place in State, Kale Barhorst, Kyle Burch, Zane Cutcher, Kaiden Geuy (8th graders)

Haak congratulated students who placed in the Ohio SkillsUSA Championships: Estin Perry- third -Sheetmetal, Devon Ferguson – second-HVAC, Dylan Fugate and Alex Nelson – second-Robotics and Automation team, Razziel Garber, Eddie Mahan and Augustus Henry – second-Welding fabrication team, Brayden Romanowski – first-Graphic Communications, Whitney Welch – first-Cosmetology, Alex Boerger – first- Electrical Construction Wiring, Sophia Walker – SkillsUSA Chapter Model of Excellence

Haak reported the following FCCLA State results;

• Jackson Center/UVCC: first place (out of 22 across state) – National Programs in Action for the Mental Health project led by Laynee Shields and Kendall Hilbun, first place state and national (100 in Ohio and 160 nationwide) – Traffic Safety led by Maleah Kipker and Carleigh Ross (they will be showcased in Denver), cash prizes totaling $4,000, first place in state: Team 1: Maycee Kipker, Samantha Metzger and Isabella Warner, Team 2: Cortney Copeland and Corinne York, Team 3: Avery Jackson, second place in state: Kendall Hilbun and Laynee Sheilda, third place in state: (10 total teams) Maleah Kipker and Carleigh Ross, Power of One: Allie Aufderhaar and Vanessa Fitgerald

• Fort Loramie/UVCC: Power of One recipients – Ella Boerger, Cami Benanzer, Hallie Grillot, Taylor Schmitmeyer, Julia Schmitmeyer, Avery Brandewie, and Addison Boerger. Repurpose and Redesign Level 3 – Ella Boerger and Cami Benanzer – Gold, National Programs in Action Level 3 – Makenna Snider – Gold, Repurpose and Redesign Level 2 – Megan Gigandet, Kelly Thompson, Ella Bertke – third place state, Event Management Level 2 – Brooke Gehret and Izzy Gaier – third place state, Career Investigation – Chelsea Gasson – third place state, Fashion Design Level 2 – Payton Holthaus and Keira Eilerman – second place state, Interior Design Level 2 – Payton DeMange and Jenna Hoying – second place state, Go for the Red Chapter Award – Bronze

• Fairlawn/UVCC: National Programs in Action – Level 2 – Caleigh Helber and Miah Huelskamp – Gold, Repurpose and Redesign – Level 1 – Eva Henderson and Amelie Phillips – Gold. National Qualifiers – Chapter Service Project Portfolio – Level 1 – Julia Smith – Gold, Chapter Service Project Portfolio – Level 2 -Alli Orsborne, Professional Presentation – Level 1 – Abagail Thornton

• Troy HS/UVCC: Troy was recognized on stage for the FACTS (Families Acting for Community Traffic Safety) project. Seven students earned their Power of One Degree: Annabelle Ludy, Hailey Noland, Ashley Mauk, Casey Rogers and Skylar Ramby

• UVCC FCCLA: Ella Aufderhaar – first place in Job Interview – she also received an endowment scholarship on Thursday night, She is a National Qualifier, Maci Hauschild – third place in Language and Literacy, Destyni Amerine, Brenna Lowe, and Paige Langenkamp – Gold Rating, Catie Stapleton – National Programs in Action – silver – Lesson Preparation – silver

Haak shared with the Board the results of the Sidney/UVCC Business Professionals of America National Convention; The Web Application Team of Thomas Sibert (senior), Joshua Wise (senior), Ethan Weldy (senior), and Gilbert Quaintance (sophomore) placed seventh in the nation. The Python programmer placed 39th out of 63. Thomas Sibert and Ethan Weldy also received certification from Certiport in Information Systems Specialist – Computational Thinking.

• Covington/UVCC Personal Finance Team finished No. 1 in the nation in the Spring 2023 10 week competition, “Budget Challenge.” Competing against 84 teams, they were the only ones to sweep all six Financial Goal Trophies. Members of the team are Caleigh Gilpin, Danicka Finfrock, Hailey Naff, Elizabeth Coblentz, Gabrielle Hartwig, Kian French, Kaden Thompson, Allen Garman, Zaquary Steele, Ace Grear, Chase Willis and Crater Dupuis.

Haak shared the Expanding CT Facilities Grant was submitted prior to the deadline and a confirmation notice was received. Grant recipients will be announced later in the summer.