Though classes have already started, it’s still not too late to sign up. Several openings are still available for the computer classes offered at the SCILL Center, which are open to the public and area businesses. Classes will be offered from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., with a cost of $40. A minimum of six people are required for each session.
The SCILL Center will be offering a 16-week comprehensive welding class for adults. SCILL Center Director Jerry Gurrado says the course has been in demand.
“One of the things that is needed in our area, between Sabre, Kruz, Dragon Industries, and Hicks, is welding. We need good welders,” said Gurrado.
Gurrado said that a member of his board and others in the community agreed that an adult welding program is needed in the community. The plans now are for the class to be taught at Knox Middle School.
Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa has been meeting with representatives from the Starke County Economic Development Foundation, Jerry Hollenbaugh, North Central Area Vocational Director, and Jerry Gurrado, Director of the SCILL Center in Knox. Superintendent Gappa told the Knox Community School Board that the group has been meeting to coordinate welding classes to be conducted at the Knox Middle School.
“With just a little bit of work, our former wood shop in the Middle School could be converted to a welding class area,” said Superintendent Gappa. “What I was asking the Board was permission to continue those talks and the Board seemed pretty excited about the idea themselves. This could be a win-win, not only for the school, but for community and the businesses in the area because people learn how to weld, they would become employable and they could improve their skills in the places they do work. This is just our opportunity to work with the business community and the Economic Development Foundation.”
There’s some exciting news from the SCILL Center in Starke County. SCILL Center Director Jerry Gurrado is announcing plans to help provide GED courses, and make the center a testing site.
Part of the mission of the SCILL Center is to provide training for Starke County’s work force, and many times if prospective workers don’t have a high school diploma or GED certificate they can’t qualify for employment. Gurrado explained that a nearby GED test site would greatly benefit Starke County residents.
“We’re working very closely with the two GED centers here in Starke County to expand that program. We’ll very definitely market it better so more people know when it is and where it is and help make it available, and then most importantly from the SCILL Center point of view, we’re going to be a test site. So it saves Starke County residents from having to go to Valparaiso to take their test or, in some cases, you may complete your GED training and it’s maybe three weeks before you can get a test time in order to be able to take it, so we’re going to be able to offer that service,” said Gurrado.
SCILL Center Director Jerry Gurrado said that over 500 coats have been collected in their coat drive this year.
Do you need a coat? Is your family in need of coats? Gurrado said that the coats will be distributed at the Knox United Methodist Church from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CT this Saturday, on December 10th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CT at the Knox Christian Church, and on December 17th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CT at the Knox United Methodist Church. If you need more information, call Jerry Gurrado at 772-8001.
The SCILL Center students have collected quite a number of coats during their coat collection drive.
“At this point in time, we collected over 400 coats! It’s unbelievable! We put together a little contest for our kids and it looks like our winner is a young man from LaVille High School, Tyler Wickizer, and he went door-to-door in his neighborhood in Lakeland and collected 147 coats by himself,” said Director, Jerry Gurrado.
The SCILL Center students are collecting coats for those in need this winter season.
If you have a gently used coat that you can donate, or maybe you’d like to purchase a new coat for the cause, you may drop them off for the SCILL Center students to collect. You may leave them at the Oregon-Davis High School, Ray’s Super Foods in North Judson, Pioneer Florist in North Judson, Five Star in Knox, Sears and Bailey’s Discount Center.
The SCILL Center is offering free winter car checks in exchange for a donation to the Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry.
On Monday, November 21st, from 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. CT, the SCILL Center students will conduct a pre-winter inspection of your car or truck. Your car’s anti-freeze will be checked, along with the battery, belts, windshield wipers, lights, and tires. For every car that comes in, First Farmers Bank and Trust will make a cash donation to the food pantry. Your donation of a food item will ensure a check of your car by the students. You will also receive discount coupons from area auto supply stores for any replacement parts needed.
A Ladies Car Care Clinic begins tonight at the SCILL Center in Knox.
“Rod Dawson and Mark Anderson had initiated that a number of years ago and we’re expanding it just a tad bit this year,” said SCILL Center Director Jerry Gurrado. “We’re going to be holding it evenings on October 25th and then a follow-up on November 8th, both from 6:00-8:00 p.m. There’s only a $5.00 donation for that.”
The SCILL Center is hosting a coat drive. Director Jerry Gurrado, said drop off sites are at the Oregon-Davis High School, Ray’s Super Foods in North Judson, Pioneer Florist in North Judson, Five Star in Knox, Key Bank in Knox, and Baileys.
“We’re still in the process of organizing the event, but people from Love, INC and a couple of other organizations are helping to work with us on maybe getting some church organizations, or volunteers from the community, to wash the coats and then we’ll have distribution sites. There will be no questions asked, whether it be children’s coats or adult coats. Come pick them up and take them. We’re happy to be able to help in any way we can,” said Gurrado.
The SCILL Center recently announced the Student of the Month recipients for the month of September.
Tyler Wickizer from LaVille High School and Tyler Keeton from Knox High School were the AM class recipients of the award. Mikinzie Wilson and Thomas Carey both from Knox High School were the PM class recipients of the award.
Two representatives from Universal Technical Institute of Chicago were at the SCILL Center yesterday explaining some of the courses offered at their school for students who would like a career in the automotive field. They brought a 1920s car with a Chevy motor for the students to see. The students were also competing against each other on how fast they could change spark plugs.
SCILL Center Director, Jerry Gurrado, said that these students are lucky in that colleges are able to come to the SCILL Center and present a post-secondary curriculum to the students. Continue reading
The SCILL Center Auto Tech classes have begun in the Industrial Park. Instructor Mark Anderson said yesterday that next week, three higher institution schools will be out attracting students.
One of the schools, Universal Technology Institute in Chicago, will be bringing a “hot rod” for the students to look over and inspect.
SCILL Center Director Jerry Gurrado announced this week that there are still a few slots left for Junior or Senior area High School students or home schoolers who would be interested in taking the auto mechanics course. You will receive full accreditation in the highly competitive field of automobile mechanics while attending high school and receiving college credits.
Jerry Gurrado is the new Director at the SCILL Center in Knox. Jerry is no stranger to Knox and he talks about coming back to the area where he grew up.
“Harry Chapin had one of my favorite songs called “Circle” where he talks about how life’s a circle and it kinda comes back. I was born and raised here in Knox and in those last couple of years of high school I couldn’t wait to get out because there was nothing to do and now in my middle age I find myself back here,” said Gurrado.
WKVI News has learned that a Director for the SCILL Center in Knox has been hired and is on the job. Jerry Gurrado, a 1969 Knox High School graduate, has been at the facility since July 1st. In the past, he has primarily been in education, having been a successful basketball coach at several high schools in Indiana.
WKVI will have an extensive interview with Mr. Gurrado later this week.
Students from the SCILL Center recently graduated and one of the students in the class of 2011 is Darren Harrell of Plymouth, who not only graduated with honors from the Automotive Certification Program, but did well in national competition.
“I’ve been trying for some scholarships from Lincoln Tech which is the college I’ll be attending,” said Harrell. “They had an acceptance test there where 1,200 kids took it and I was in the top 20. I got an $8,000 scholarship for that. If it wasn’t for the SCILL Center, I probably wouldn’t have done as well on the test.”
The 10th annual SCILL Center Auto Show is this Saturday, May 21st from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. CT at the facility in the Knox Industrial Park. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and everyone is invited to participate. Bring in that classic or modern car and show it proudly during this event. There is a $15.00 registration fee and that includes a dash plaque.
Graduation for the SCILL Center students is this week.
“Our graduation this year is going to be on May 18th, at 6:00 p.m. Knox time,” said Instructor Mark Anderson. “We’ve got 26 students that are going to be graduating this year. All of our students managed to get at least one ASE certification.”
The students at the SCILL Center recently took ASE classes for certification.
“There were 152 tests that were given over a week’s period of time, which included steering, suspension, brakes, electrical and electronic systems, engine performance, engine repair, automatic transmission systems, transaxles, manual drive line, axles and heating and air conditioning,” explained SCILL Center Instructor, Rod Dawson. “In each of the categories, we had actually 19 students that were taking each one of these tests, and they scored over a fifty percent in each of them with a pass rate. I was quite impressed with the students and it was an excellent showing for the first time around. I felt that the students needed to take all eight areas and it just validates what they actually are doing here for training.”
