Hart High School has been awarded a $1,000 grant from Lowe’s Corporation and SkillsUSA to help establish the school’s SkillsUSA chapter.

SkillsUSA, founded in 1965, works to maintain and grow Career Technical Education (CTE) programs and ensure career readiness. The organization currently operates in over 19,000 classrooms across the United States and maintains over 600 partnerships with businesses, trade associations and unions.

“We are very grateful to receive this award from Lowe’s to support our SkillsUSA Chapter,” said Nadia Cotti, director of Career & College Readiness for the Hart School District. “We have worked hard over the past year to establish SkillsUSA chapters on each of our high school campuses. These groups increase awareness of and participation in our Career Technical Education programs as well as give students the opportunity to network locally and nationally through a variety of competitions and conferences. The educational materials provided by this grant will enable our teachers to focus on the leadership and job readiness skills students need in order to build successful futures.”

SkillsUSA resources can be shared not only at Hart High School, but throughout the District and community. Plans call for the presence of SkillsUSA to grow on campus with each pathway advisor in their respective CTE classroom. Each teacher will have access to these materials to use in their classrooms on a daily basis.

“These resource materials will be a great benefit to us as we embark on creation of the first ever SkillsUSA chapter at Hart High,” said James Lane, Hart’s automotive teacher. “This grant will ensure all SkillsUSA pathways teachers are equipped to train and inspire students to become the best possible members of America’s workforce — a workforce in which 600,000 skilled jobs are going unfilled.”