Approximately 700 Stanislaus County high school students, including Oakdale High School students, will converge on the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds in Turlock today, Wednesday, March 24 for the 25th Annual Occupational Olympics and Career Exposition (OOCE). The event will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., with an awards ceremony at 1 p.m.
During the exposition, representatives from local business and industry will judge students in 26 “hands-on” competitive events. OHS students will be competing in the following events: Job Seeking Skills, Business, Graphics, Intro to Business Applications, Architectural Drafting, Mechanical Drafting, Automotive Technology, Floriculture, Hairstyling, Medical Occupations, and Welding.
Students will be rated on knowledge of their field of interest, ability to perform tasks using appropriate tools, and employability skills.
OHS teachers who are sending students to the event are Kellie Felix, Bob Joseph, Dave Seibert, Em Rippe, Dave Bacigalupi, and Tim Matthies.
Felix is the event chairperson for the Intro to Business Applications Event this year. There are 68 students competing in the Intro to Business Applications event, of which, 26 are from OHS.
“This event is designed to evaluate beginning level skills in word processing and spreadsheet application proficiency for job entry and job sustaining skills,” Felix explained. “Our competing students have prepared and gained the skills necessary to compete in this event through the various business and technology education classes offered at Oakdale High School. We have a great group of students competing this year. They are motivated and have spent their personal lunch time these past couple of weeks to gear up for our competition.”
Felix added that this event allows vocational education students to demonstrate their mastery of employment skills they have gained.
Bacigalupi said he will have five students in Architectural Drafting and five students in Mechanical Drafting. All the drawing will be done on AutoCAD.
Rippe has approximately 20 students signed up to compete in the Medical Occupations section of the event. She noted that she is unable to coach the students because she is a co-chair of the event but she has provided a study packet for them. She added that all the teachers that have competing students know what will be covered, so they are able to coach and/or provide study materials.
There are 112 OHS students in all slated to compete in the Occupational Olympics. The event is designed to promote academic and occupational understanding in various career areas, and recognize high school students who excel in their mastery of skills.
Plaques are awarded to the top three participants in each event, and the top eight finalists receive ribbons. One small and one large school will be awarded a Sweepstakes Award.
