Chapter Excellence Program

The Chapter Excellence Program (CEP) honors chapter achievement relative to SkillsUSA’s Framework of developing personal, workplace, and technical skills. The framework actualizes SkillsUSA’s mission “to empower members to become world-class workers, leaders, and responsible American citizens.” It also serves as the blueprint for career readiness — our ultimate goal as an organization. By centering on industry demands, the framework builds the foundation for relevant and intentional student learning and employability skill development. Paramount to framework success is the creation and implementation of an effective program of work — SkillsUSA’s planning tool for chapters. By participating in program of work activities, SkillsUSA chapters become conduits for meaningful student growth. Students take part in the planning, organization, and implementation of activities, developing their skills and building character. The CEP recognizes these efforts by offering every chapter an opportunity to attain measurable competencies in pursuit of framework objectives.

​Benefits

STUDENTS

• Fosters student ingenuity and employability skill development
• Promotes friendly competition
• Creates opportunities to apply framework skills
• Improves chapter operations
• Gives chapter officers a valuable leadership role
• Recognizes student achievement

CHAPTER ADVISORS

• Increases member engagement and empowers student leadership
• Reduces advisor workload when students manage and lead chapter activities
• Garners support from the school administration with “bragging rights” of chapter accomplishments
• Illustrates relevance in accomplishing goals of the school district or campus
• Strengthens the presence and support of SkillsUSA in community
• Serves as a potential recruitment tool into CTE program
• Contributes to increased graduation and completion rates from CTE program

How it Works

The CEP establishes a quality baseline that all chapters will be encouraged to attain with extra incentive for exemplary chapter performance. The program consists of three award levels, with the first two levels recognized by the state and the final level eligible for national recognition.
 

LEVEL ONE – OVERVIEW

• Honors chapters for achieving essential standards of excellence as a “Quality Chapter”
• Indicators include:
  • Chapter paid membership dues
  • Section/program advisors paid professional dues
  • Elected chapter officers
  • Chapter conducted well-planned, regularly scheduled
  • chapter meetings
  • Chapter completed a projected budget
  • Chapter completed a program of work
  • Chapter completed one activity in each of the three framework components: personal skills, workplace skills, technical skills

LEVEL ONE  –  AWARD

The Quality Chapter Award recognizes chapters and sections that use the program of work in developing skills outlined in the SkillsUSA framework. All chapters must complete level one, verifying that members completed at least one activity from each framework area. Recognition takes place at the State Leadership and Skills Conference.

LEVEL TWO– OVERVIEW

• Recognizes chapters that go beyond baseline requirements with bronze, silver, and gold “Chapters of Distinction” awards
• All chapters receiving a gold award will be invited to the SkillsUSA national conference and recognized alongside the program sponsor at a reception. Up to the top 10 percent of all chapters in each state that receive the gold award will be eligible for selection as a Model of Excellence chapter, which will be announced during the National Leadership and Skills Conference
• Indicators include:
  • Conducted chapter officer training
  • Conducted a chapter recruitment activity
  • Members are engaged in committee structure to implement chapter activities
  • Plan to participate in Ohio State Leadership and Skills Conference
  • 75 percent of eligible students are SkillsUSA members
  • Held executive committee meetings with local chapter officers
  • Conducted an activity to engage business and industry partners
  • Students attended a Fall Leadership Conference
  • Chapter members attended one activity above the chapter level excluding Fall Leadership Conference
  • A report of chapter activities/accomplishments is presented to the school board
  • Held local technical area SkillsUSA Championships
  • Held local leadership/occupational area SkillsUSA Championships
  • Celebrated SkillsUSA Week through chapter activities
  • One or more articles were published in local news media
    Local chapter has a social media or Web presence
  • Has a candidate for state office
  • A local chapter awards program or banquet is conducted in which all members may attend
  • Completed activity summary page for each of the three framework components

LEVEL TWO–  AWARD

The Chapter of Distinction Award recognizes chapters and sections that have achieved levels one and two. Activities will be evaluated on goals, plan of action, results, evaluation, and framework. Chapter of Distinction will be eligible for gold, silver, or bronze awards.

• Silver and bronze winners will receive a certificate
• Gold winners will receive:
  • a display banner
  • an advisor lapel pin
  • an opportunity for selection as a Level Three Models of Excellence award*
  • an opportunity to attend the National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC)
  • an opportunity to attend the Chapter of Distinction reception at NLSC
  • an opportunity for special seating at an NLSC session 

• Gold Chapter of Distinction submissions for the National Models of Excellence award must not exceed 10 percent of all chapters in the state and must be rounded down to the nearest tenth. For example, if a state has 250 chapters, only the top 20 Gold Chapter of Distinction winners are eligible for selection.

LEVEL THREE– OVERVIEW

• Honors the very best chapters through “Models of Excellence” awards
• These chapters define excellence. Best practices will be gleaned from the award winners and will be shared with the field to serve as models for other chapters to emulate in strengthening their local programs. The CEP is focused on the learning and skills developed by students as a result of chapter involvement, versus honoring chapters simply by the number of activities they employ throughout the year. The award application is written and presented in a manner that supports evidence of these findings
• To begin tracking your performance, register your chapter here!
  And, download the CEP Advisors Guide!