Lenape Tech Had Nationals Knowledge Bowl Winner
Before a four-member girls’ team from Lenape Technical School in Manor Township competed in the Health Occupation Knowledge Bowl last week, there was actually a Lenape Tech team that won the annual national competition.
After winning at the local regional and state competitions, the 1993 four-member boys’ team of Tom Rabickow, John Stewart, Calvin Troup and Brad Reedy – under the leadership of Karen Hulse scored a perfect round
“It was the true definition of team work, since each of us had a specialty area of focus with the various categories,” Reedy said. “Winning the competition showed us how rewarding it was to put all the time and dedication into our studies.”
For winning the competition, the team received a National Skills Gold Medal and a voucher for $100 of medical books.
Reedy and his team mates were also part of the first graduating class to complete the two-year Medical Laboratory Technology shop.
“As a team, we spent many hours studying the various categories with related questions to prepare for the competitions,” Reedy reflected. “During our experience, the local and regional competitions were sort of “easy” since there weren’t a lot of teams competing. The state and national competitions were quite different. They were very competitive.”
Schools from nearly every state across the United States compete annually at the National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC) in Lexington, Ky., and Reedy found that experience “very rewarding” – trading state pins with other students.
“While competing at the National level, we had to go through a couple qualifying rounds until we reached the finals,” Reedy wrote.
Reedy – who currently lives in Akron, Pa. near Lancaster with his wife – has used the skills he learned during the competition to help him in his current role as a special education teacher.
Reedy also completed another Master’s degree in Computer Security Management and looks to switch careers.
“I have always took the approach of hard work does typically pay off,” Reedy said. “With all of these courses of study, I have continued to put forth the time and effort it takes to succeed at the highest level possible.”
Rabickow is thought to live in Apollo, Stewart in Pittsburgh and Troup in Dayton.
For the first time in at least seven years, a computer-aided design (CAD) team also attended the national competition – made up of mostly Leechburg Area and West Shamokin seniors.
In May, Joint Operating Committee President Joseph Close - from the Armstrong School District - commended the students and wished them good luck in the future.
“The achievements they made in those competitions (are) over-the-top. And speaking of the students, their career goals (are) commendable,” Close said. “It defies the myth that the kids that come to tech school don’t go on to post-secondary education after they leave here – these kids are very bright kids.”
SkillsUSA Championships were held June 24 and 25, with more than 6,000 winning career and technical education students competing in 100 different trade, technical and leadership fields, according to the competition’s website. Lenape Tech’s updated scores have since not been released.
Local News | jweaver July 1, 2015
