Bragging Rights

We here so much about what is wrong with our youth today good news is often over shadowed by bad. For instance, the 15 year old freshman, who viciously beat another student to within inches of her life over a text message, was the major story on most early morning talk shows and many newspapers on Monday. What did not hit the papers or national news was the event that packed Woodrow Wilson High School Auditorium beyond capacity on Saturday night.

On Saturday, hundreds of West Virginia's finest technical students competed in the Skills USA state competition, hosted by the Raleigh County Technical School in Beckley. The competing students were winners in their home schools and represented almost every county in West Virginia. How exciting it was to see the students, all dressed in red jackets and black pants cheering each other on as the awards for the state's best were handed out Saturday night. These students were well behaved, energetic and talented. I have to think that their instructors and parents must have done a good job.

The awards ceremony was scheduled to begin at 6:30pm but was delayed until 7:30pm due to the large number of participants and the final recording and tabulation of competition scores. I mention the start time because the awards are presented in alphabetical order and that is important to me because I was there for the W's. My stepson Logan competed in the welding category which happened to be the last category in the award proceedings.

As the ceremony progressed the temperature and noise level of the auditorium rose as the capacity audience cheered on the recipients. My discomfort level was approaching overload and then miraculously we were at the W's. My heart rate quickened as the bronze metal was awarded. Then tears of joy flowed as the silver medal was awarded to Fred Eberle Technical School welder Logan Lamb. I couldn't tell you who the gold medal winner was, I didn't care. I plan to get a lot of mileage out of the bragging rights that come with a silver medal!!!