Halifax County High School seniors Dustin Meadors and Shonque’l Betts recently returned from competing in the WoodLINKS Ready to Assemble competition at the International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta, GA. A third member of the design team, Jared Owen, is a freshman at Liberty University and was unable to make the trip to Atlanta because of classes.

The students were accepted to the national competition because of a design they created as dual enrollment students in the WoodLINKS program at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC). Their competition entry was a unique lamp design called  “Universal Light Bulb.” Shaped like a traditional incandescent light bulb, “Universal Light Bulb” uses an energy-efficient compact florescent bulb to create an intersection between old and new.

Being accepted to the prestigious competition gave Meadors & Betts real world experience in producing and marketing an original product. After working through the sumer to improve their design, they took it to the International Woodworking Fair where they had to man a booth and act as salesmen. In addition, Meadors & Betts had to submit a marketing plan, assembly instructions, assembly drawings, and a one-page description. “This year the students stepped it up by including the packaging for the product. They made a box, and used Digital Art & Design program skills to make graphics for their box so it looked shelf-ready.  They also used video & created a commercial,” said Clint Johnson, Product Design & Development instructor at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC).

The Dominion Foundation has awarded the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC) a $45,000 grant for workforce development. The Dominion Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Dominion Resources (NYSE:D), of which Dominion Virginia Power is a subsidiary.

The grant funds given to the SVHEC will be used to purchase a welding simulator. The simulator will play a critical role in training students in the nationally certified welding training program coming to the SVHEC. Educational partner, Virginia Technical Institute in Altavista, VA, will provide program instruction and is working with SVHEC Workforce Services to setup the instructional space.

The decision to bring a welding training program to the SVHEC is in response to the demand for skilled workers regional businesses and industries are experiencing. “Many employers in the area have expressed the need for welding training and for people with welding skills. Increasing access to welding training within Halifax County will help us to meet the needs of existing employers, attract new industry, and complement work going on at the SVHEC,” said Dr. Nettie Simon-Owens, SVHEC Director of Workforce Services. “We are grateful to Dominion Foundation for funding our grant to bring welding equipment and training opportunities to the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center,” Simon-Owens continued.

SVHEC Executive Director Dr. Betty Adams presents Mr. Paul Krysiak with a custom-made clock produced by the SVHEC's R&D Center for Advanced Manufacturing & Energy Efficiency. SVHEC Board Chairman Patricia Thomas thanked Krysiak for his service to the Board. Mr. Krysiak expressed his appreciation for the gift, and stated that it had been a pleasure working with the Board members. Krysiak recently retired from a management position at Hewlett-Packard in Clarksville, VA.  
 

Three Halifax County High School students in the WoodLINKS dual enrollment program at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC) have been selected to compete in the  WoodLINKS USA/International Woodworking Fair (IWF) competition this August. Students in the SVHEC WoodLINKS program have had consecutive entries to this national competition.

Recent graduate Jared Owen and rising seniors Shonque’l Betts and Dustin Meadors will travel to Atlanta, Georgia for the prestigious woodworking competition focused on the design and marketing of Ready to Assemble (RTA) products. To be accepted, Owen, Betts, and Meadors had to go through a rigorous application process that included submitting a marketing plan, technical drawings, assembly instructions, a one-page description, a speech, and photos. The competition was fierce as the selection committee only chooses a handful of applicants to enter the competition. The Halifax County students will be competing against students from across the United States, and will be judged on a combination of their submitted woodworking piece, their written materials, and their public speaking abilities.