Snohomish High School students launch Washington’s first SkillsUSA varsity letter

SNOHOMISH — Two years ago, two students at Snohomish High School noticed something was amiss with the varsity letter awards.

Sports, community service, robotics and other activities were represented — but one category was missing.

“Elizabeth (Bogen) and I were talking about the clubs one day — about how you can letter in band, you can letter in theater, but you can’t letter in Skills,” Remus Fox-Bailey said. “We just decided to make it happen.”

Skills is short for SkillsUSA, a nonprofit that aims to prepare students for careers in the trades, the arts, in technology and communication. The group, which has multiple chapters in every state, sponsors local, regional and national student competitions. Thousands participate.

About 30 students belong to the Snohomish High School chapter.

Elizabeth Bogen, 17, and Remus, 17, now seniors, have been involved with the group since freshman year. Elizabeth serves as the chapter’s president; Remus, as vice-president.

“Skills is a cool club,” Remus said. “I like what we do.”

Not being able to offer a varsity letter, long a symbol of achievement, to aspiring students seemed a shame.

Making “it happen” began with a conversation with the school’s SkillsUSA adviser, teacher Matt Johnson.

“The first step was talking to Mr. Johnson to see if anything was in place in Washington,” Elizabeth said.

Next, they laid out the criteria.

“We looked at robotics, theater and sports clubs at different schools to see what the requirements for lettering were,” Elizabeth said.

Some clubs emphasized attendance while others, such as robotics clubs and theater groups, used a point system. “That was the model we proposed,” Elizabeth said.

When Johnson gave the proposal the green light, they sought approval from the Associated Student Body Senate, ASB director and school administrators.

In the meantime, Johnson contacted SkillsUSA Washington.

“We brought the idea up to the director to see if this was something we should look into,” Johnson said. “She was so excited about that being a possibility.”

The new SkillsUSA varsity letter program launched this year. Snohomish High School became the first school in the state to offer a SkillsUSA varsity letter.

“It was a student-driven initiative. It came from the students,” Johnson said. To earn a letter, students must meet the requirements, and be regularly involved in activities and compete, “just like an athlete,” he said.

Three students, including Elizabeth, were awarded varsity letters last spring at an end-of-the-year banquet. Remus, who received a certificate of achievement at the banquet, is working toward completing the requirements for a letter this year — which includes competing in two state design contests.

What the two seniors didn’t expect was the huge impact their efforts on behalf of Snohomish High School would have on students throughout the state.

SkillsUSA and educational leaders were so impressed with the program, they rolled it out to every chapter. The SkillsUSA varsity letter is now offered statewide — at all Washington schools.

Elizabeth proudly displays her letter, a red, white and blue SkillsUSA patch sewn onto the sleeve of her Snohomish High School letter jacket.

But getting the patch, “was a bit of a journey,” Elizabeth said with a laugh.

Elizabeth had hoped to order the same letter patch used by the state of Texas —the only other state with a SkillsUSA varsity letter program — until she discovered the patch is in the shape of Texas. Happily, she said, “there’s a special Washington SkillsUSA patch in the works right now.”

“We’re in the process of making it now,” said Courtney Burger, associate director at SkillsUSA Washington.

Elizabeth plans to join the workforce when she graduates in 2026. She interned at Boeing last summer and hopes to land a job there.

Remus, who’s designed costumes for the school’s theater productions of “Mean Girls” and “Disney’s Descendants: The Musical,” plans to attend Western Washington University’s Theatre Arts program in Bellingham.

Elizabeth and Remus were thrilled to learn the varsity letter will be available to all Washington students.

“I’m really happy it went through,” Elizabeth said. This is giving an opportunity to different types of kids.”

Requirements:

“The new lettering program ensures SkillsUSA members are recognized alongside athletes, performers and other student leaders,” SkillsUSA Washington said in a statement. The letter highlights leadership, service and skill development.

—Be a dues-paying SkillsUSA member. High school students pay a $30 annual fee.

—Maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA; (3.0 GPA in a Career and Technical Education pathway).

—Earn at least 25 points by participating in meetings, competitions, chapter leadership, community service, fundraising and member recruitment..

—Receive advisor approval and a teacher recommendation. Matt Johnson, Brad Johnson and Linsey Turski are SkillsUSA advisors at Snohomish High School. Teachers Bryan Mossburg and Tim Swartz are advisors at Glacier Peak High School’s chapter.

Janice Podsada is a freelance writer and former employee of the Daily Herald. She can be reached at jpod2024@gmail.com