Technology Education
Honors & Awards
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Outstanding Senior in Graphic Arts
On Monday, April 28th, Overlea senior, JoAnne A. was honored as the outstanding senior in Graphic Arts by the Litho Club of Baltimore. She was awarded a brand new Fuji digital camera - the better to pursue her interest in photography - and a certificate noting her accomplishment. Both JoAnne's parents and her Graphic Communication teacher, Nick Callas were guests of the BLC at a dinner meeting in Carney, Maryland.

From left to right: JoAnne A., Graphic Communications teacher, Nick Callas
and BCPS Supervisor of Career & Technical Programs, Rhonda Hoyman.

Heating, Ventilating & Air Conditioning News
On Saturday April 5th, the 35th Maryland State Skills USA Championship competition was held at the Center of Applied Technology North in Anne Arundel County. Approximately seven hundred contestants competed in over sixty different events. Billy F., Robert W., Patrick R. and Ethan T. from Mr. Roberts' Heating and Air Conditioning Class competed in three of theses events.

Patrick competed in the Major Appliance Technology contest, Robert competed in the Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning contest and Ethan and Billy competed in the Sheet Metal contest.

At the awards ceremony, Robert and Patrick both won the Silver medal. Second best in the entire state is quite an accomplishment. Congratulations on a job well done. Ethan finished first and Billy finished second in the Sheet Metal contest which gave Overlea 1 Gold Medal and 3 Silver Medals in three different contests. However, the sheet metal contest has to be re-done because St. Mary's County did not get the information on the contest. That contest will be held at a later date. What a GREAT accomplishment by all four OHS students!

To put their accomplishments in perspective, four students from one class at Overlea High School won the same amount of medals as did the entire Harford Technical High School and one less than Carroll County Career and Technology Center and two less than Cecil County School of Technology. Western School of Technology and Sollers Point High School competed in nine different events and placed no better than 5th place in any of the contests. Overlea was the only school in Baltimore County to win a metal and we won FOUR!

Larry Roberts
HVAC Instructor

Congratulations, Ethan!
Senior Ethan T. won the prestigious Building Congress & Exchange of Metropolitan Baltimore, Inc. Award. He adds this award to a list which includes a Maryland State Apprenticeship license, a Class C Maryland Driver’s License, and is a Certified Fork Lift Operator. Ethan also won the following awards: 2007 USA Skills 2nd Place State Champion and 2006 USA Skills 5th Place State Champion.

From left to right: Ms. Thacker, Ethan T., HVAC instructor, Mr. Roberts
and Technology Education Department Chairman, Mr. Callas.

Congratulations Dan and Tyrone!
Dan B. and Tyrone M. were installed as President and Vice President of Overlea High School's Junior Litho Club.
Club advisor and teacher, Mr. Callas, was present to celebrate the occasion, as well as Rhonda Hoyman, supervisor of Baltimore Couny Public Schools' Career & Technical Programs.
The ceremony took place at Bowman's Restaurant & Pub in Carney, Maryland. The event was sponsored by the senior Litho Club of Baltimore, whose first female president happens to be another Overlea teacher, Miss DeFeo.

Attending the installation ceremony along with Junior Litho Club officers Tyrone M. and Daniel B. were Miss Rhonda Hoyman and Mr. Nick Callas.

Print & Graphics student wins all expense paid stay at Penn State
While we are on the subject of good news; it has come to our attention that Jeni W., a senior at Overlea High School, has been selected to attend an all expense paid graphics camp at Penn State University, College of Technology at Williamsport. Jeni was selected from numerous applicants from several states. This experience includes lodging in a college dorm, meals, and most importantly exposure to the latest graphics and multimedia technology at the post secondary level. Jeni, pictured below, who was also a Career and Technology award winner, plans to pursue graphic design and multi-media technology as a career.

Left to right in the front row: Mr. Callas, Ms. Parker, Mrs. Spaight, Mr. Roberts, Jeni & Janay W., Iris F., Thomas G..
Left to right in the back row: Mr. & Mrs. W., Chris W., Ryan T., James W. IV and Jake D.

hvac Students Win Silver Medals in Statewide Competition
On Saturday March 31^st, the Maryland State Skills USA Championship competition was held at the Center of Applied Technology North in Anne Arundel County.  Approximately 600 contestants competed in over 60 different events. OHS students Chris W. and Ethan T. from Mr. Roberts' Heating and Air Conditioning Class competed in two of theses events. Chris competed in the Major Appliance Repair contest and Ethan competed in the Sheet Metal contest.

Chris and Ethan celebrate winning silver medals at the state HVAC competition.

At the awards ceremony, both Chris and Ethan won Silver medals.
Second best in the entire state is quite an accomplishment.
Congratulations on a job well done!

To put their accomplishments in perspective, two students from one class of eleven students at Overlea High School won the same amount of medals as did Carroll County, Cecil County, Western School of Technology and Easton High School. They won more medals than seven other High Schools or Technical Centers entering the competition. SkillsUSA is the largest student organization in the United States with more than 284,000 student and instructors join SkillsUSA annually, organized into more than 14,700 sections and 54 state and territorial associations.  SkillsUSA has served more than 8.8 million members.  The mission of SkillsUSA is an applied method of instruction for preparing America’s high performance workers in public career and technical programs. It provides quality education experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development. It builds and reinforces self-confidence, work attitudes and communications skills. It emphasizes total quality at work: high ethical standards, superior work skills, life-long education, and pride in the dignity of work. SkillsUSA also promotes understanding of the free-enterprise system and involvement in community service.

Mr. Roberts would like others students to join SkillsUSA and demonstrate their talents. For more information, contact Mr. Roberts in room 229 or by email jroberts2@bcps.org.

Wayne Becker and his proud employer celebrate winning the silver medal.

Overlea Graduate Wins Silver Medal in HVAC National Competition
Wayne Becker wins the Silver Medal at the ABC National Craft Championships Competitors, held at the association’s 2007 national convention March 21-25 in Nashville, Tenn. Wayne is a 2002 graduate from Mr. Roberts’ HVAC Class and has continued his career with Maryland Mechanical Services. Wayne is finishing his final year as a HVAC apprentice and represented the Baltimore Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). He also has continued to work part time for Mr. Roberts in his HVAC business.

A field of 130 craft professionals competed in 13 different craft areas during ABC’s 2007 National Craft Championships competition

The National Craft Championships is the highlight of ABC’s National Convention. ABC’s National Chairman Dave Meyer said “Each year, we are honored to provide these craft professionals with the opportunity to demonstrate their high-quality workmanship, technical knowledge and safe work practices. These craft professionals are the best-of-the-best and show us that there is a bright future ahead for ABC and the U.S. construction industry.” The National Craft Championships was developed in 1987 to help celebrate and recognize craft training in construction careers. Each year, the competition draws some of the nation’s most talented craftspeople and highlights the important role that craft skills training plays in the construction industry. The National Craft Championships Committee, which is composed of leading merit shop construction firms, plans all year for the two-day competition. Wayne was among the first graduates to complete the newly formed HVAC program offered at Overlea. He was the best HVAC students in his graduating class. His desire to learn the correct way and always complete his job with pride distinguished him as an exceptional craftsman during his high school years and continues to prove valuable in his apprenticeship years. When Wayne completed a project, and some small items could have been done better, he never offered excused, he just went about fixing any part of his system that could be improved.  This attribute has worked well for Wayne in his career as demonstrated at the National level by being the second best apprentice in the United States.Congratulations Wayne!

Wayne Becker competing in the National Craft Championships in Nashville, Tennessee.