May 13, 2004

Pioneer student who overcame obstacles
lands $21,000 scholarship

By Julie Davis Berry
Executive Editor

Chad Dalbeck, an 18-year-old senior at Pioneer High School, re-cently was awarded a $21,000 scholarship as well as two gold medals for exceptional achievement at the 37th annual SkillsUSA-VICA state competition. Now he will be able to achieve a his goal of attending the Sequoia Institute in Fremont to become an air conditioning and heating technician.

Once he graduates he can earn up to $45 an hour and after an apprenticeship with the union he can garner up to $85 an hour. His next goal is to buy his own house by the time he is 25.

“This scholarship will help me get a jumpstart on my career in air conditioning,” said Dalbeck. According to his mother Dalbeck has already passed the Sequoia entrance exam with ‘flying colors.’

The road to this accomplishment was not an easy one. Dalbeck is dyslexic and his mother Yvonne Sade worked diligently with the teacher’s at Pioneer to help Chad through difficult classes. “I called up the school every six weeks,” said Yvonne, “and met with the school to match teacher’s to Chad’s learning style and the school has always bent over backwards to help Chad achieve.”

He wasn’t planning to attend college when he graduated. He had been attending classes in the Central County Occupational Center through Pioneer. SkillsUSA-VICA advisor and Air Conditioning instructor John Tawney knew that Dalbeck wanted to attend Sequoia so he suggested he try for the scholarship. Tawney said that CCOC students competed against other “top notch” competitors from across the state and “raised the bar” for others competing against them.

“With all his hard work and goal-setting he always knew what he wanted to achieve. I’m very proud that I raised a son that is a nice, honest person who can set goals and make commitments,” said Chad’s proud mom.

Next up for Dalbeck is the National competition in Kansas City June 21-26.