WEMOCO Student Organizations

Recognizing Excellence at WEMOCO

Excellence is encouraged and rewarded in our CTE program, through student opportunities like National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) and SkillsUSA. Learn more about each below: 
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WEMOCO’s Chapter of the National Technical Honor Society (Chapter 318)

Mission
To honor outstanding student achievement in career and technical education, promote scholastic and workforce excellence, skill attainment, service, and leadership within the global citizens of tomorrow, and enhance career opportunities for the NTHS membership.

Advisor: Mrs. Melissa Doherty    [email protected]   585-352-2487

About the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS)

The National Technical Honor Society honors the achievements of top CTE students across the country. Membership in NTHS is one of the highest honors a CTE student can attain. This national organization recognizes outstanding CTE students who have distinguished themselves academically in their chosen fields and who possess desirable qualities such as leadership, citizenship, dependability, honesty, responsibility and good character.

NTHS currently serves approximately 100,000 active members and over 1 million members since its founding in 1984. NTHS strives to connect education with industry to develop a highly skilled workforce and provides its members with close to $300,000 in scholarships annually. For over 30 years, NTHS has been the acknowledge leader in the recognition of outstanding student achievement in career and technical education.
Learn more at the NTHS website: https://nths.org/ 

Membership Benefits

  • Recognition for superior achievement in CTE fields that allow you to position yourself ahead of competition in today’s highly competitive workforce.
  • Scholarship opportunities for postsecondary education through NTHS and other career/technical student organization partners.
  • Access to letters of recommendation customized for each student’s career portfolio, employment, college or scholarships.
  • Connection with global career and technical education networks and recruitment opportunities by top US colleges and corporations.
  • NTHS membership materials including custom certificate, presentation folder, membership pin, window decal, white tassel, official NTHS diploma seal, and official purple and silver NTHS Honor Cord to wear at graduation.

Criteria for Membership

Student candidates for NTHS must meet national and local membership standards. Students must meet the following criteria during Year 1 of their CTE program to be eligible for membership:
  • Enrolled in a 2-year NYS approved CTE program and on track as a CTE course completer; on track to graduate at the end of Year 2 in the CTE program.
  • 3.0 CTE specific unweighted GPA (85% average or higher) at the end of Year 1.
  • 10 or fewer total absences from WEMOCO, including excused and unexcused absences.*
  • 5 or fewer unexcused tardies at WEMOCO.*
  • Maintain the highest standard of personal conduct, adhering to Student Codes of Conduct from home school and WEMOCO – all infractions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • Demonstrate leadership, citizenship, scholarship in the CTE program, home school, employment, and/or local community.
*The Chapter Advisor and Application Committee will give preference to students who maintain an overall 3.0 GPA at the home school and WEMOCO. The Chapter Advisor and Application Committee has the right to consider extenuating circumstances for students exceeding the allowable absences/tardies as described above.

Application Process

Student candidates may apply for membership in the beginning of the Fall Semester of their 2nd Year. The NTHS Advisor will inform students of their eligibility. Student candidates must complete the following to be considered for membership by the NTHS Application Committee:
  • Complete the NTHS application with attached brief, written essay.
  • Receive an endorsement from the CTE program teacher.
  • Receive a “Letter of Recommendation” from a current/former teacher (not CTE teacher), counselor, coach, employer, administrator or community member (not a family member).
  • Turn in all required materials to the NTHS Advisor by the appropriate deadline.
    The Application Committee will review applications and school records to determine membership. Students who are selected for induction will be notified. A formal NTHS Induction Ceremony will be held.

Membership Responsibilities

Students must meet the following criteria to remain a member in good standing:
  • Remain on track as a coarse completer and on track to graduate at the end of Year 2.
  • Maintain a minimum overall 3.0 CTE specific unweighted GPA each quarter (85% or higher average).
  • Maintain the highest standard of personal conduct, adhering to Student Codes of Conduct from home school and WEMOCO.
  • Meet the attendance requirements (10 or fewer total absences; 5 or fewer unexcused tardies).
  • Complete a minimum of 2 Community Service Projects (~20 community service hours).
  • Participate in regularly scheduled meetings and leadership opportunities at WEMOCO.
Students who become at risk in terms of grades, discipline, and/or attendance will be placed on probation. If the situation is considerably severe or not corrected, that student will be at risk of removal from membership.

SkillsUSA

Mission
To empower students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members.

Annual Membership Fee: $25

Member-Only Events: CTSO Fall Celebration, CTSO Friendsgiving, Winter Festivities, End of Year Celebration, various community service and fundraising projects.

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. We help each student excel. A nonprofit national education association, SkillsUSA serves middle school, high school and college/post-secondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations.

As members of SkillsUSA, students will learn the essential elements of the SkillsUSA Framework (personal skills, workplace skills and technical skills grounded in academics). Developing these skills will enable students to be career and college ready upon graduation. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to participate in leadership activities and trade-specific competitions at the local, regional, state and national levels.

Criteria for SkillsUSA Competitors

Students competing in SkillsUSA events must:
  • Demonstrate knowledge of SkillsUSA Framework Fundamentals (complete and pass written assessment)
  • Understand such fundamental principles as they apply to their skill areas. They will be expected to know and demonstrate the following:
    • - Mathematics: addition, subtraction, division and multiplication of whole numbers, common fractions, decimal fractions, ratio, proportion, percentage, average, area, volume, metrics and written problems specific to areas of training.
    • - Engineering drawing/print interpretation and schematics related to specific areas of training.
    • - Reading comprehension/interpreting technical manuals.
    • - Completion of a job application form.
    • - Creation of a resume.
    • - Making an appointment for a job interview.
    • - Proper interview techniques.
    • - Responding clearly to oral questions.
    • - Safety knowledge: All Skilled and Technical competitions require evidence of safety training.
      • ***There are some competitions that require a minimum of a 10-hour CareerSafe training safety card. That requirement will be noted within the standards of those competitions. Students are encouraged to complete the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) 10-hour web-based CareerSafe course. This OSHA 10 certification course is offered in WEMOCO's CTE programs. For more, visit www.careersafeonline.com. Participants completing the safety training course will receive a wallet card from OSHA. 
    • - Compliance with all copyright laws and software licensing requirements.
  • Maintain the highest standard of personal conduct, adhering to Student Codes of Conduct from home school and WEMOCO—all infractions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but may result in removal from competition without refund.
  • Competitors must demonstrate personal skills (integrity, work ethic, professionalism, responsibility, adaptability/flexibility, self-motivation); workplace skills (communication, decision making, teamwork, multicultural sensitivity and awareness, planning, organizing and management, leadership); technical skills grounded in academics (computer and technology literacy, job-specific skills, safety and health, service orientation, professional development).