Thu, Jul 19th, 2012
More than 240 participants in the SkillsUSA Summer Leadership Camp at Hocking College joined Glouster residents to spruce up small businesses and homes on Wednesday, July 18. Serving with the Glouster Volunteers fulfills the community service aspect of the camp, which focuses on knowledge and skills in community service along with leadership and workplace competency.
The Glouster Volunteers were started earlier this year by retiree Jim Cotter. The 81-year-old Glouster native began painting local homes and businesses in an effort to brighten his hometown. The operation has since grown tenfold; Cotter now receives nearly all of his supplies as donations and has a list of 39 regular volunteers.
After hearing about Cotter's efforts, SkillsUSA Ohio leaders chose the Glouster Volunteers as the community service component of southeastern Ohio's 2012 Leadership Camp. The project facilitated the painting of 14-17 houses in just one day. The SkillsUSA camp returned to Hocking College for the seventh time from July 16 to July 20.
"Community service is an essential part of what we're teaching young people through career and technical education and SkillsUSA, " said SkillsUSA Ohio director Mike Cowles. "We also teach teamwork so joining a grassroots effort that's already underway reinforces that lesson."
SkillsUSA aims to provide students with the skills necessary to become competent and effective workers. More than 32,000 instructors and students participate in SkillsUSA Ohio with the Hocking College camp serving around 300 individuals from southeastern Ohio. SkillsUSA camp links Hocking College to over 40 SkillsUSA chapters across Ohio, gives students the opportunity to explore the Hocking College experience, and positively impacts the community through service.
The Glouster Volunteers were started earlier this year by retiree Jim Cotter. The 81-year-old Glouster native began painting local homes and businesses in an effort to brighten his hometown. The operation has since grown tenfold; Cotter now receives nearly all of his supplies as donations and has a list of 39 regular volunteers.
After hearing about Cotter's efforts, SkillsUSA Ohio leaders chose the Glouster Volunteers as the community service component of southeastern Ohio's 2012 Leadership Camp. The project facilitated the painting of 14-17 houses in just one day. The SkillsUSA camp returned to Hocking College for the seventh time from July 16 to July 20.
"Community service is an essential part of what we're teaching young people through career and technical education and SkillsUSA, " said SkillsUSA Ohio director Mike Cowles. "We also teach teamwork so joining a grassroots effort that's already underway reinforces that lesson."
SkillsUSA aims to provide students with the skills necessary to become competent and effective workers. More than 32,000 instructors and students participate in SkillsUSA Ohio with the Hocking College camp serving around 300 individuals from southeastern Ohio. SkillsUSA camp links Hocking College to over 40 SkillsUSA chapters across Ohio, gives students the opportunity to explore the Hocking College experience, and positively impacts the community through service.
