Department Head: Paul Boyer
boyerpkp@comcast.net, (865) 293-7270
Committee: Paul Boyer, Bobbie Odell, Connie Crutchfield, Brandon Johnson, Crystal Marshall, Jordan Conley
Schedule Information
Location: Jacob Building (Second Floor)
Drop-off: Wednesday, September 9 2:00pm-5:00pm or Thursday, September 10 - 12:00pm-5:00pm
Judging: Thursday, September 10 - 5:00pm
Pick-up: Monday, September 21 - 8:00 am-12:00pm
Skills USA is an organization for trade, industrial, and technical students. Through chapter activities planned, initiated, and conducted by students, Skills USA develops the “whole” student, his/her social and leadership abilities as well as his/her skills. Skills USA is a national organization of individuals with members in 50 states plus Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam. The Tennessee Valley Fair contest and exhibits are open to all career technical educational students whose high school has a Skills USA chapter in Tennessee.
Rules
1. All participants must be enrolled in a secondary school providing full time occupational training in the area in which they will be competing. Teachers must certify that construction of the exhibits have been made during the school year preceding the fair and/or during the current school year and has not be previously exhibited.
2. All entries must have been recommended by appropriate occupational instructor and authorized by the local Skills USA Chapter.
3. NO ONLINE ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED! Exhibitor entry forms are available by contacting Paul Boyer at (865) 293-7270, boyerpkp@comcast.net or Ginger Huskey at ginger@tnvalleyfair.org. All last year participants will receive a letter concerning the up coming Tennessee Valley Fair and a copy of the entry form. All forms must be submitted to Paul Boyer by email no later than August 28.
4. It will be the responsibility of the SkillsUSA instructors to deliver and remove entries. Entries may only be removed from the Jacob Building on the above date. No entries can be removed prior to Monday. All entries must be removed by the above date. All exhibits not removed during this time frame will be disposed of Monday evening at 6:00pm
5. Entries will be identified by number only until the judging is completed. After the judging, the proper identification and judging results will be attached to the entry.
6. Educational display (Lot 39) will provide competition and public information based on the present Fair or Skills USA 2026 theme. The 2026 Tennessee Valley Fair theme is: "The Great American Swine-A-Bration".
7. Exhibits will be a representation of specific occupational skills and learning objectives that were performed by students in a course of study.
8. 1st-5th place prizes will be awarded in all competitive categories with appropriated ribbons and attached to the winning entry.
9. In the event there are only one or two entries in a category, the workmanship must be rated at 80% of the possible total points for the first (1st) place award to be given.
10. Protest of any nature must be submitted by email to the Department Head within 24 hours after judging. Please do not call the Tennessee Valley Fair office until you have exhausted all efforts to reach the Department Head.
11. It is the responsibility of every instructor to provide (when requested by the Committee) a judge for their occupational area.
12. For more information, please call Paul Boyer (865) 293-7270, boyerpkp@comcast.net.
** PREMIUM CHECKS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP MONDAY SEPTEMBER 21. PLEASE CHECK WITH DEPARTMENT HEAD FOR EXACT LOCATION OF PICK-UP. ANY CHECKS NOT PICKED UP WILL BE MAILED. DUE TO PREVIOUS ISSUES WITH MAILING, IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR CHECK WITHIN 6 WEEKS AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE FAIR, PLEASE CONTACT THE FAIR OFFICE.
Premiums Schedule: A & B
A - 1st - $60.00 2nd - $45.00 3rd - $30.00 4th - $15.00 5th - $10.00
B - 1st - $30.00 2nd - $25.00 3rd - $15.00 4th - $10.00 5th - $5.00
USA Chapters 1st - 5th - Plaques Awarded
Class 1
Lot
01 - Air Conditioning & Refrigeration - A
02 - Electronics - B
03 - Residential Electrical Wiring - A
04 - Carpentry - A
05 - Brick Laying - A
06 - Plumbing - A
07 - Career Exploration Display - B
08 - Construction Core Display - A
09 - Cosmetology (Evening Style) - A
10 - Cosmetology (Casual) - A
11 - Cosmetology (Braids) - A
12 - Nail Art - A
13 - Fantasy Make-Up (Esthetics) - A
14 - Arc Welding (Fillet) - A
15 - Arc Welding (Butt) - A
16 - MIG Welding - A
17 - TIG Welding - A
18 - Steel Fabrication Fitting - B
19 - Welding Sculpture/Metal Art - B
20 - Sheet Metal - B
21 - Machine Shop - A
22 - Collision Repair - A
23 - Auto Mechanics (Mechanical) - A
24 - Auto Mechanics (Electrical) - A
25 - Diesel Mechanics - A
26 - Leisure Craft/Power Equipment
Technology - B
27 - Machine Drafting (Board) - B
28 - Architectural Drafting (Board) - B
29 - CADD (Mechanical) - A
30 - CADD (Architectural) - A
31 - Architectural Model - A
32 - Graphic Arts or Commercial Arts - A
33 - Commercial Foods/Cake Decorating - A
34 - Commercial Foods/Table Setting - B
35 - Principles of Technology (pneumatics or hydraulics) - B
36 - Computer Construction - B
37 - PowerPoint Design - B
38 - Suitcase Design - B
39 - Educational Display - Skills USA or Fair Theme - A
40 - Occupational Safety Display - A
41 - Misc. Display (Large Floor) - A
42 - Misc. Display (Small Table) - A
43 - Criminal Justice - A
44 - 3-D Imaging - A
45 - * Chapter Award - A