Donovan High School grad

The Village of Donovan proudly recognizes its high school state champion.

Two newly-erected signs at the edge of the Iroquois County town lets everybody know Keeley Smith is their state champion. Keeley is a 2018 Donovan High School graduate. And the signs recognize Keeley as the 2018 Skills USA Vocational Competition Collision Repair Category.

Family, friends, and educators gathered at Donovan High School (Thursday) to unveil the Illinois Department of Transportation-like signs that celebrate and publicize Keeley’s achievement.

Donovan District #3 Superintendent Stephen Westrick said "it's not very often we get a state champion in Donovan so we want to celebrate this for Keeley."

Keeley, the daughter of Andrew & Joyce Smith of Martinton, excelled as a vocational student at the Kankakee Area Career Center in Bourbonnais. Her studies and skill-set earned her the SkillsUSA champion in Vocational competition in the Automotive Collision Repair category.

Making it that much more special is the fact that Keeley, a young woman, excelled in what’s predominantly a male-driven profession.

Matt Kelley is Director of the Kankakee Area Regional Vocational Education System. .........

"This profession is usually male-driven, so to have a woman is good for the industry and so good for vocational education."

Keeley’s Automotive instructor at the Career Center was Chris Morse. He says Keeley’s gender was never an issue

"Keely was never intimidated. She listened, learned, helped other students which helped her learn. She gained more confidence helping other students."

Keeley’s now attending Ohio Technical College in Cleveland. She’s one of six girls/young woman in a 40-student Collision Program. She says hands-on experience is so important. And learning from different people with different views on the end-result builds experience.

And Keeley and Career Center Director Matt Kelley both feel proud to wave that Vocational Education flag --- doing what you have an interest in, and having the drive to go after it .............

The Jobs are out there. Grab that education. Go after it. And then .... CALL YOUR YOURSELF A WINNER, A STATE CHAMPION !

94.1 WGFA