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Virginia Spanish
spelling

champ

it,” Skoff said. “The internship is also
a great experience to be out in the
industry and see the real-life application
of everything you’re learning in school.”

Salem Church Middle eighth-grader Spelling Bee competition was the first
Jayln Jimenez Garcia represented Virginia ever for the county, and we were thrilled
last month in the National Spanish Spelling to send our top three competitors to
Bee in San Antonio, Texas, where she compete at the Virginia Spanish Spelling
finished ahead of more than 15 of the 30 Bee,” said John Erbach, School Board
national competitors. vice-chair and representative for the Dale
PURSUING A CAREER IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, NICK SKOFF WOULD LIKE TO
LAND A JOB IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY AFTER GRADUATION. District. “We are so proud of Jayln and her
Jayln’s ride to the national accomplishments as the Virginia winner
Summer internship competition began when she won the and were excited to hear how well she
Chesterfield County Spanish Spelling Bee
performed on the national stage.”
focused on energy on March 16. From there, Jayln went on hosted by the New Mexico Association
to compete in the Virginia Spanish Spelling
The National Spanish Spelling Bee is
Bee, where she defeated contestants from
across the state to be crowned winner and for Bilingual Education with the support
Following in your parents’ footsteps in majoring in electrical engineering, Skoff advance to the national bee. of sponsors throughout the country.
Chesterfield these days looks a lot different has just completed a summer internship WorldStrides Educational Student Travel
compared to a generation ago. at Dominion Energy, where he is already “The Chesterfield County [Spanish] sponsored Jayln’s travel to compete in
helping increase efficiency and saving
For Matoaca High School graduate precious man-hours.
Nick Skoff, it means pursuing a career in
electrical engineering, a field in which “It just cuts down on time when SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL
both his parents work. Skoff always knew working on projects. Instead of
he was mechanically-inclined. As a child, spending two hours trying to do an arc
he wanted to know how his computer flash calculation you can just press a Steak & Ribs & a Baked Potato Bar
worked, and he was drawn to Lego bricks button and run it right there,” said Skoff.
and toys that taught him the basics of “It really relates to safety. The faster we
engineering. can get that done and make sure that all for $ 10 95
it’s accurate, the faster workers can
“I had a little robotics set where you get out in the field, make sure they’re
could build something and program it, wearing the appropriate protective
and that’s where I got my first interest in equipment and restore power to the
electricity and what you can do with it,” customer.”
the Chesterfield native explained.
He’s hoping to land a job in the
His interest was furthered by energy industry after graduation, and
the education he received from he feels he has plenty of high-tech job
Chesterfield County Public Schools options in Virginia.
and John Tyler Community College. He
found his Advanced Placement classes “Oh, definitely. There’s always
at Matoaca High School were on par the utility company aspect with
with, if not harder than, the classes of Dominion and so many different kinds
his freshman year of college, and he of engineering jobs,” Skoff said. “Lots
says having a father who could help of tech-based companies, especially
on homework questions, even in the in Northern Virginia, have opened up
advanced high school calculus and positions and have availability for those
physics classes, made it easier for him types of technological jobs.”
to get through the material. Plus, his ALSO ON THE MENU - KING’S KORNER FAMOUS FRIED CHICKEN
community college physics class helped While growing up with engineering
him define his future education plans. parents was influential, Skoff says
others looking to enter the field should Friday Night is Seafood Bar Night with all you can eat fried
“Taking physics through JTCC was a take advantage of every opportunity to oysters, spiced shrimp, fried shrimp and baked and fried fish.
big influence on me. Once I learned all learn inside and outside the classroom.
the equations and electricity stuff, I was
much, much more interested in that “I would definitely say take your King’s Korner
and it steered me in that direction,” said classes as seriously as possible and
Skoff. not just brush them off, especially if
it’s your senior year of high school and 7511 Airfield Drive, Richmond 23237 (In the Chesterfield Co. Airport) 743-9333
Now a rising junior at Virginia Tech you’re ready to be out and done with Catering: 271-0033 | www.kingskornercatering.com
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10 SEPTEMBER 6, 2017 news@villagenewsonline.com