Construction students grab medals at competition

EVIT construction students dominated at the annual Arizona Construction Challenge last Friday at Metro Tech High School. About 100 students from across the Valley put their masonry, plumbing and carpentry skills to the test.

EVIT students snatched first place in three out of the four skills competitions, as well as first, second and third place in the construction knowledge and math exams.

Carpentry Competition
1. Nik Christiansen
3. Juan Venegas
6. Colin Adair

Nik Christiansen

Plumbing Competition
1. Zac Bland
2. McKay Larsen
3. Andres Juarez

Zac Bland

Masonry
1. Landon Boren
3. Gerardo Zarate
6. Dominic Pittman

Landon Boren

Construction Knowledge
1. McCay Larsen
2. Colin Adair
3. James Guthrie

Construction Math
1. Nik Christiansen
2. Colin Adair
3. McKay Larsen

Academic winners

A spicy event

EVIT's annual Mystery Chef Dinner is coming up on March 10, and this year it promises to be rather spicy.


This year's dinner theme is "spice," so top chefs from around the Valley will be using all kinds to flavor your food. The "mystery" is which of the great chefs will be preparing your meal.

Last year's cheesy theme will be hard to beat, but the chefs are up to the challenge.

Tickets are $65 per person and are tax deductible. All proceeds fund the EVIT culinary student scholarship fund, so you'll be getting a good meal and helping our students continue their culinary education.

Find more info here, and make your reservation by calling Tricia Guerrero at (480) 461-4139.

Prepping for job interviews

Students in EVIT's Interior Design program got some practice doing real, live job interviews on Friday.

Human Resources representatives and industry leaders visited the class and met with each student for 10-15 minutes. They asked the students questions about their experience and then gave feedback on how to improve interviewing skills.


The first-year students prepared resumes and the second-year students compiled portfolios of their work to present to the interviewers.

The interview practice will help students prepare to land an internship or job, instructor Kim Foulger said. Ms. Foulger's goal is to help each student get an internship before they complete the program.

Flying high

EVIT aviation flight students took a field trip on Tuesday to the control tower at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.


The students were able to listen to the control tower operators talking with pilots in the air and on the ground, directing the air traffic.

It's helpful for the students to meet the operators and see the inner workings of the tower so they can understand what is happening on the other end of the conversation, instructor Lou Amadee said.

"It can be a little intimidating for a young pilot to talk to these operators," Mr. Amadee said. "It's good for them to come up here and see they're just regular people."

Views from the tower's deck.

It also helps the students understand all the different tasks the operators are handling at once and how important it is to follow their commands exactly.

Welding his way to a bright future

Junior Zachary Murrell is taking his welding class by storm. He doesn’t wait to be assigned a project or told how to do something. He just jumps right in and does it.

“From the first day that we hit the shop, he’s been asking questions,” welding instructor Leon Zamora said. “He’s the first on the floor and the last one cleaning up."

Zachary is like a sponge, soaking up all the knowledge his teachers and the other students can give him. And he’s succeeding in spite of an obstacle many don’t have: a hearing disability.

Typically, hearing is important to being a good welder, Mr. Zamora said. But Zachary has shown him that although it’s important, it’s not essential; Zachary has an amazing control over his welds and uses his other senses to pick up the slack.

“The sky is the limit for him as he continues to adapt and keep learning,” Mr. Zamora said.

For Zachary, who also attends Gilbert High School, the experience is about learning a skill that will land him a good job.

“But it’s not only about the money,” he said. “It’s also what I enjoy doing."

Fashion students meet with the experts

EVIT fashion merchandising students met with a panel of local fashion industry leaders yesterday to ask questions and get career advice.

The panel was made of up Corbin Chamberlin, a fashion and lifestyle journalist; Chantell Nighswonger, a public relations professional with Allison & Partners; and Duc Liao, a fashion photographer.


The panel encouraged students to continue their fashion education to learn the basics of the industry, whether that be at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchadising in Los Angeles or at a local community college. But panel members also stressed the importance of getting any and all experience possible, starting now.

"Now is the time to make mistakes, to dabble and explore your passion," said Chamberlin, who is an EVIT fashion merchandising program alum.

Students asked dozens of questions, including how to stand out in a crowded industry, how to deal with frustrations in the workplace, and how to beat the competition.

"You just have to be different from your competitors," Liao said. "You cannot always be better."

Students learned that the fashion industry isn't always an easy place to work. But for those who are truly passionate about it, the great moments will outshine the bad.

"It's a lot of heartbreak," Nighswonger said. "But you live for those big moments and successes."

Nighswonger, Chamberlin, EVIT fashion merchandising teacher Kristen Johnson, and Liao

Happy New Year!

Chinese students in EVIT's adult Massage Therapy program are celebrating the Chinese New Year today!

The 14 students all are permanent residents of the U.S. and speak primarily Mandarin. They are learning anatomy, physiology and various massage techniques, as well as enough English to be able to communicate with clients. When they finish the program, they will be licensed massage therapists and they will be ready to start their new career!

But today, they took a break from all the learning to celebrate an important day in the Chinese culture -- New Year's Day! Some students even dressed in traditional celebratory garb:


Sue Gao works with the students, teaching them about the biology of massage therapy, translating for them and teaching them English. She described the Chinese New Year as similar to Christmas in the United States, with lots of festivities, family and food for several days.

Happy New Year!

And the winner is...

Congratulations to Paige Bartlett, a Highland High School student who won the EVIT Interior Design Program's Room Makeover Contest!

Paige was nominated for the contest by her friend, Teal Rutledge, an EVIT student in the medical assisting program. Paige will get a full bedroom makeover, complete with new furniture, bedding, lighting and artwork!

Paige (in the center, holding the certificate) was surprised with the announcement at the end of the EVIT Expo event on Jan. 29.

The Interior Design students are ready to get crackin' on the new design for the room. We'll post before and after pictures here once the project is complete!

EVIT welcomes Jordin Sparks

The beautiful and talented Jordin Sparks helped us kick off the radio students' brand-new-and-yet-so-long-in-the-making radio station on Saturday. Loads of people stuck around after EVIT Expo just to see her and then got to meet her, get autographs and take pictures.

Check out the fun here.

Tune into 90.7 KVIT The Goldmine when you're cruising around the East Valley!