Donkeys Take Over the DHS Gym

Teachers and students playing donkey basketball

By: Maggie Lehman, Drafting Instructor at DHS

Dairyland Donkeys invaded the gym of Dickinson High School, in front of a sold-out crowd, on the evening of Friday, January 20th.  The Dickinson High School and Roughrider Area Career and Tech Center SkillsUSA students showcased their skills from the classroom and on the court to raise funds and bring community awareness to SkillsUSA.  The students sold tickets, held a 50/50 raffle, organized a “kiss the donkey” competition, and conducted a live auction. 

The event consisted of four teams: Teacher, SkillsUSA, Tighty Whities, and Green Machine.  The Tighty Whities and Green Machine teams were volunteers in the community who wanted to help support our cause.  Teachers and SkillsUSA battled in the first game, where the Teachers came out victorious.  Tighty Whities and Green Machine were in the second game, and the Tighty Whities took the top spot.  The final match was Tighty Whities and Teachers, and fortunately, the teachers came out victorious and undefeated. 

Students from every area helped make this event happen.  While all areas advertised and sold tickets, the construction, welding, diesel, and powersports students showcased their classroom knowledge by auctioning items they made from skills learned in the classroom.  The talented construction students built an epoxy resin coffee table complete with metal table legs fabricated by welding students.  The inventive diesel and welding students made a glass top engine block table using a Ford 390 engine block, and table supports from welded rods and pistons.  The powersports students did a full tune-up on a donated minibike.  Many other auction items were donated by generous local businesses and friends of SkillsUSA. 

The SkillsUSA programs that are offered at DHS include: Construction, Welding, Diesel, Drafting, and Powersports, while Health Careers is offered through the Roughrider Area Career and Tech Center.  SkillsUSA is a professional organization for our skilled workforce students.  All students participating in a class in one of these areas qualify to be a member.  SkillsUSA provides many leadership and competitive opportunities in trades, health, and technical occupations.

At the national level, SkillsUSA is helping to fill the skills gap.  At the local level, our students are working to bring awareness and attempting to help with the skilled worker shortage. 

The proceeds for this event will be used to help fund the travel expenses for those students who win 1st in their competitions at the state conference in March.  All 1st place finishers will have a chance to represent North Dakota SkillsUSA in Atlanta, GA in June.  Students spend all year honing in their technical skills in the areas of Health Careers, Welding, Diesel, Power Equipment, Drafting, and Construction to prepare for this competition.