SkillsUSA SkillsUSA Champions Spring 2010 : Page 9
It’s No Small “I never repeated at a school in Texas. I always had a different school each year, because bilingual schools within the district would change.” Later, with his family moving, Garcia had to start classes in a new place every year until high school. The SkillsUSA member now attends Charles H. Bohlen Technical Center in Watertown, N.Y. @e^kdb ! RESPECT FOR EDUCATION AND SERVICE Garcia’s father, Benjamin, a warrant officer, served in the Gulf War and did a tour in Korea. After being deployed to Afghanistan, he was due to come back to Fort Drum last September for a brief break. But although Garcia had not seen his father for more than six months, they decided another opportunity was too big to pass up. SkillsUSA’s Washington Lead-ership Training Institute was being held the same week. “I’m a big history guy. Washington, D.C., is full of history. I like politics, I don’t know why,” Garcia says with a shrug. “Washington, D.C., is full of politics. My dad was fine with me attending. He’s big on education, too.” Fortunately, his father returned home in December until his next deployment. Garcia’s respect for his father is so solid you can hear it in his voice. Does he worry about him serving in Afghanistan? Of course, but his dad helps to quell his fears. “He’s actually one of the few people who will tell me something and I’ll believe him. I don’t care how that sounds. If he tells me, I will believe him,” he repeats. His father has explained that the news media doesn’t always give the full picture. “In news reports, what you see happen-ing are the bad things. You are always going to see the bad things, but it’s not all like that,” the student says. The American soldiers serving in Afghanistan “are trained extremely well. They have extremely good gear. I miss my dad, but I’m used to it.” Garcia’s parents have instilled in him the importance of education — and a devotion to service as well. A criminal justice student, Garcia hopes to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. “Ever since I was 6 years old, I’ve wanted to be a lawyer,” he says. “I don’t know why. I don’t want to be a regular civilian lawyer. Instead, I’ve decided to become a JAG,” short for judge advocate general. “I don’t know any other life than the military. I’m just so used to seeing tanks and helicopters and planes and people in BDUs,” or battle dress uniforms, he adds. “So, I’ll live both lives. I’ll be military, but I’ll also be a lawyer.” &OR "RIAN 'ARCIA�c; ADAPTING TO CHANGE IS JUST A WAY OF LIFE�e; .EITHER A LANGUAGE BARRIER NOR FREQUENT SCHOOL CHANGES COULD DETER HIM FROM BECOMING A LEADER &).$ /54 -/2% G c; Pdac;e`a]c;bknc;>ne]jc;C]n_e]Ðoc;opknuc;_]iac; bnkic;deoc;]`reokn*c;@kc;ukqc;gjksc;]jkpdanc; OgehhoQO=c;?d]ilekjc;sac;odkqh`c;ejpan) reas;c;A)i]ehc;pd]hh<ogehhoqo]*knc* G c; Bknc;iknac;ldkpkoc;]j`c;atl]j`a`c;opkneao(c; p]gac;]c;hkkgc;]pc;kqnc;i]c]vejaÐoc;kjhejac; a`epekj6c; sss*ogehhoqo]*knc+_d]ilekjo+ G c; Ha]njc;dksc;pkc;_kjja_pc;sepdc;OgehhoQO=c; opq`ajpoc;j]pekjse`ac;]p6c; sss*ogehhoqo]* knc+_kjja_p+ By Ann P. Schreiber 3PRING  3KILLS53!#HAMPIONS 
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