World Skills Update and Discussion

Greetings,

I am pleased to inform all of you that we had a VERY close competition between three VERY well qualified and prepared contestants. Each of these students, Alyssa Ailion from Marietta Georgia, Michael Fleming from Royal Oak Michigan, and Amela Mujkic from Clinton Twp. Michigan have achieved something that has never been achieved in the history of the United States. They represent a positive role model and hope for our entire industry and all the youth that are searching for a future in one of the greatest and most dynamic industries in the world.

Unfortunately, only one student can represent the USA in Calgary. Before I tell you who that one person will be, I would like to make a preliminary plea. I would like to create a training budget to train a second person as an alternate for Calgary. I would then like to solicit additional funding sources beyond the wonderful support already being provided by GAERF and Heidelberg to give one more student advanced training. I will be making a formal proposal in the days and weeks to come.

Out of a total of 275 points there were only 29.5 points separating 1st and 3rd place and only 5 points separated 1st and 2nd place. Amela Mujkic from Clinton Twp. Michigan has earned the privilege to represent the United State at WorldSkills 2009.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Larry Kroll and his staff of professionals at the Heidelberg Print Media Academy, Ralph Nappi and Eileen Cassidy of GAERF for their unquestionable support. Truly, without their vision and commitment to education we never would have been able to have a team in printing. Nick Wagner and the members of the Printing Industries of Michigan, Rachel Ann Shattah and the members of Printing & Imaging Association of Georgia for the sponsorship of the WorldSkills Qualifying.

Rick Ames, Cliff Panczyk, Ted Ringman, Bruce Lanzerotti, Steve Havlick - Thank you for the impossible - Judging! You were consistent and fair; and, in the spirit of education - you provided an outstanding learning experience for our contestants.

With this announcement we now must begin an extraordinary training and preparation program. There will numerous public relations opportunities, conversations, and plans that will occur in the future. We are fired up and ready to go!