"No Skills For You!"

For the past couple of years my daughter has travelled to Hampton Roads with BCAT to take place in the Skills USA Competition. The first time she entered was as a individual when she was a sophomore. She walked away as the state champion for prepared speech.



Last year she was part of a television production team, and although they didn't come in first, they did place. The competition was good for her. She was able to experience being away from home for a couple of days, learning to manage her money and time, meeting and interacting with new people from across the country, as well as sharpen her skills in a timed event.

She was looking forward to her final year competition, until she found out, she wouldn't be going. BCAT is the school she goes to every other day for the classes in the field she wants to work in, Mass Communications. HVHS is her "home" school. Once again her "home" school couldn't give a crap about the students at BCAT as they scheduled the senior prom, senior day, senior cap & gown, senior yada yada yada on the days students who wanted to participate in Skills USA would have to be out of town. You can be damn sure if the students were going to some sort of sporting tournament that would bring "glory" to the school, instead of some "intellectual" tournament that the school could care less about, they would have coordinated the dates.

Although my daughter is "dating" someone, she could care less about the senior prom, and as far as I know, has no intention of going. "Why should I spend all that money watching people I really don't hang out with Jersey Turnpike? Ewwww!" My wallet wasn't the only thing that sighed in relief. However, her teammate feels different, "But it's our senior prom!" Totally understandable, so my daughter sought out a different partner.

As she was searching for someone, anyone, she received the schedule of other senior events. Now, even the most jaded teen wants to get their cap and gown and participate in at least some senior happenings that take place during a school day. So...it looks like the girl won't be heading to Hampton Roads. In my best Soup Nazi voice -- "No Skills For You!" Oh well, if she plays her cards right, she'll be able to travel many places after she graduates and gets a job in the field she wants, and this is just a precursor to "real life" where there's certainly no shortages of disappointments.