More than three dozen students from area high schools will represent Capital Region BOCES in the New York State SkillsUSA competition April 28 in Syracuse.
Two additional students will represent BOCES as delegates and another three will use the skills they have learned in the Criminal Justice program to work security at the competition.
The students, who hail from as diverse districts as Cohoes and Cobleskill, Shenendehowa and Schoharie, are competing in events that display their work-related skills.
“I am looking forward to the competition itself and to seeing how I can improve myself as I prepare and compete,” said Zack Yorke, who is competing in the welding competition.
“I am super excited because I get to challenge myself and learn a bunch of new skills,” added Elaina McGrath of Bethlehem, who is competing in the cosmetology competition.
Many of the student-competitors expressed confidence in their abilities to win the state competition.
“I love competition. I absolutely love the energy it brings me. I want to see how far I can get,” said Cody Walter, a construction competitor from South Colonie.
The Capital Region BOCES students, their program, SkillsUSA contests and home school districts are as follows:
- Caitlin Atkinson, Manufacturing and Machining Technology, CNC Milling, Cobleskill-Richmondville (CRCS)
- Nate Barlett, Construction/Heavy Equipment, Heavy Equipment, (CRCS)
- Matthew Bellinger, Pet Tech, Action Skills Basic, Shenendehowa
- Brody Below, Automotive Technology, Auto Vehicle Maintenance Basic, Guilderland
- Alison Bowen, Sterile Processing Technician, Job Demonstration, Middleburgh
- Emily Burdikoff, Digital Media Design, Banner Competition, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake
- Gavin Christman, Game Design and Implementation, Interactive App Video, CRCS
- Woudener Clement, Carpentry Services, Carpenters Asst. Basic, South Colonie
- Caleb Close, Network Cabling Technician, Extemporaneous Speaking, Shenendehowa
- Aimee Cook, Cosmetology, Esthetics, South Colonie
- Luke DaBiere, Auto Body and Refinishing, Refinishing, Shenendehowa
- Matthew DeCelle, AYES, Auto Service Technology, Cohoes
- Adriana Galasso, Two-Year Sequence of Health Careers, Nurse Assisting, Cohoes
- Eve Gerke, Cosmetology, Esthetics Model, Guilderland
- Jocelyn Howe, Global Fashion, Job Interview, Mohonasen
- Alexander Howell, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Welding, Duanesburg
- Ashlyn Knapp, Pet Tech, Job Skill Demo, South Colonie
- William Kruk, Game Design and Implementation, Interactive App Video, Schalmont
- Lucas Mahar, Electrical Trades, Commercial Wiring, CRCS
- Adian Matile, Manufacturing and Machining Technology, CNC Milling, Shenendehowa
- Darielys Maya-Galan, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Welding Sculpture, Guilderland
- Elaina McGrath, Cosmetology, Cosmetology Junior Competition, Bethlehem
- Jade O’Campo, Culinary Arts, Cake Decorating, Shenendehowa
- Reagan Pedinotti, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Job Skills, Schalmont
- Chris Piccini, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Welding, Voorheesville
- Ryan Potter, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Welding, Duanesburg
- Phillip Ramos, Auto Body and Refinishing, Auto Body, Shenendehowa
- Thomas Rodick, Network Cabling Technician, Prepared Speech, Shenendehowa
- Cody Sherwood, Network Cabling Technician, Job Skill Demo, Middleburgh
- Clay Smith, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Welding, Berne-Knox-Westerlo (BKW)
- Emily Tice, Culinary Arts, Commercial Baking, Guilderland
- Haley Titus, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Welding, Schoharie
- Carlie Tucker, Culinary Arts, Culinary Arts, Shenendehowa
- Ariana Valle, Cosmetology Senior, Shenendehowa
- Tessa Venditti, Banner Competition, BHBL
- Cody Walter, Construction/Heavy Equipment, Construction, South Colonie
- Zachary Yorke, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Welding, CRCS
- The team of Breanna Powell, Sharon Springs, Chloe-Jean “CJ” Thomas, Middleburgh and Erin Haugh, CRCS, Criminal Justice, CSI
Attending the state competition as SkillsUSA delegates, representing Capital Region BOCES during meetings and taking part in state organization activities are Ashleigh Francis and Sierra Spaulding, cosmetology students from Guilderland.
Working security for the event along with Criminal Justice Teacher Gerald Place are Criminal Justice students Zach Godlewski, Brenden Parrotti and Kirsten Moran.
SkillsUSA is a career and technical student organization serving more than 395,000 high school and students. The organization promotes personal and professional growth and offers students the opportunity to compete at the local, regional, state and national levels. The organization also promotes giving back to the community, which locally results in collections each year for food pantries and city missions.