My name is Victoria Slagle and I am a 17 year old junior at Troup High School in LaGrange, GA where I am an honor student and involved in many student organizations.  I joined SkillsUSA as a freshman and have attended all the competitions and Leadership Conferences since then. This past year I have served as your SkillsUSA Georgia State Treasurer. Our local chapter is relatively young and it takes each student working together to make things run smoothly.  SkillsUSA has provided me with the opportunity to grow as a leader.  Now it is my turn to give back to my favorite student organization.

My name is Elyse Mixon and I attend Harris County High School in Hamilton, GA. There are several reasons I chose to pursue the position of Vice President of SkillsUSA Georgia. I will gain the continued involvement I desire, polish my leadership skills, and have opportunities to share my current skills with the state officer group and SkillsUSA members. My goal is to see SkillsUSA increase in membership, and see its members grow in their enthusiasm towards the organization during my term in office. I am looking forward to gaining experience, leadership, friendship, and becoming more educated about the SkillsUSA organization.

My name is Ashley Aldridge and I am 17 years old, and a junior at Lithia Springs High School. I enjoy playing all types of sports including football. I also enjoy being in SkillsUSA. SkillsUSA is a big part of my life and I wouldn’t take back any moment that I have either learned or experienced in SkillsUSA. This year I plan on increasing membership throughout the state and hopefully help the other schools in my county either start a new local level chapter or increase membership.

My name is Joseph Valdez, and I attend Lee County High School where I am in the eleventh grade. My favorite sport is tennis, and I would give anything to be able to play 24/7. I also enjoy fishing, mud bogging, traveling, and hanging out with my friends. After high school, I plan on attending college in order to reach my aspirations of one day becoming an orthodontist. In the upcoming year, I have many goals set for SkillsUSA Georgia. First, I would like to see an increase in membership, but not just membership. Anyone can be a member of an organization, but there is no point if you are not going to be involved. So, next I would like to see more participation out of our new and already existing members. I am also a serious advocate of community service. With this in mind, I would like to institute many new community service projects around Georgia to help show what SkillsUSA is all about, and in turn, hopefully increase support from all of our communities. I look forward to working with everyone this year, and thank you for electing me as your 2008-2009 SkillsUSA Georgia State Treasurer.

My name is Laketa Lewis and I’m a very outgoing student. I’m involved in a lot of school and community activities. I’m interested in poetry, writing, reading, music, and designing. I decided to run for State Office because I wanted to take the experience I have learned in SkillsUSA, over the last three years, to another level. I wanted to be an example to the members of my local chapter as well as anyone who desires to be a State Officer. I plan to accomplish new feats during my term of office. I plan to become a better leader and continue to grow and manifest my dreams.

Hi, my name is Bianca Yarbrough and I am your 2008-2009 State Parliamentarian. I wanted to become a State Officer because I believe that I can make a difference in as many ways as possible. I will accomplish all things to the best of my abilities as your State Parliamentarian. When I made the wise decision to run for state office I knew I was in for a treat that would be filled with hard-work, dedication, and rewards. To all great SkillsUSA members, please have the courage to run for a state officer position because the experience will last a lifetime. I love “SkillsUSA!”

I am Trakena Moore a senior at Terrell High School in Dawson, Ga (Terrell County). I have been a member of SkillsUSA for 4 years and it has become my passion. Upon the many accolades I have received the most recent are: Being crowned Miss Terrell High School and being a recipient of The University of Georgia Merit Scholarship. My hobbies include riding and caring for my horses, talking on the phone, watching my favorite shows, and being active in SkillsUSA. After graduating I plan to attend the University of Georgia and major in Nursing and go on to Emory School of Medicine to get my MD to become a general practitioner. I decided to seek a state officer position again because SkillsUSA is a passion of mine and I want to give back and help in anyway possible. This year I look forward to accomplishing the goals of increased awareness about SkillsUSA and increase membership. I want to thank all members for entrusting with the power to lead SkillsUSA Georgia for this year!

My name is Melody Olivia Johnson. I am 16 years old and an upcoming senior at Kendrick High School, home of the Cherokees. I have lived in Columbus, Georgia all my life and I am proud to live in a growing city that is not too far from Atlanta. I am proud to be State Officer of SkillsUSA. I have been a part of this organization for three years and I am proud to have an opportunity to represent an organization that contributes to the growth and development of young adults and prepares us for the world of work.

My name is Danesia Thompson and I am your 2008-2009 Georgia South Region Vice President. I am a junior at Monroe High School in Albany, GA. My inspiration to acquire this office was my strength in leadership and my deep passion for SkillsUSA. With the honor to holding this office, comes the opportunity to display my skills, while also helping to expand the horizon of our organization. My goals for the upcoming year are to assist in expanding our membership. With more individuals, more knowledge is acquired, which will result in a larger number of experienced young adults entering the workforce.