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apital Region BOCES Class of 2025 graduate Danny Martin won a silver medal at the national SkillsUSA competition on June 27.
Martin, from Shenendehowa, was one of three Capital Region BOCES students and graduates representing New York state at SkillsUSA’s National Leadership & Skills Conference competition.
A Two-Year Sequence of Health Careers program graduate, Martin was among more than 6,500 state champions competing for national gold, silver and bronze medals in 114 skilled and leadership competitions. He participated in the Basic Healthcare Skills competition where his knowledge of nursing skills and healthcare was put to the test.
“The feeling is irreplaceable. It’s so gratifying knowing how far I made it and realizing I am a national champion in what I do,” said Martin of winning the medal.
“The most important thing I learned was that with enough passion and determination, you can go anywhere and do anything,” Martin said.
The June 23-27 competition was the largest gathering of America’s future skilled workforce and the ultimate recognition of excellence in career and technical education, with more than 17,500 attendees, including students, instructors, industry partners, government officials, administrators and more attending.
“Connecting with so many people from so many places and learning so much from a business perspective is something I could have never found anywhere else,” Martin said.
Martin is following his medal by enlisting in the Navy with a goal of becoming a rescue swimmer.
He said BOCES has prepared him well for his future.
“BOCES has taught me a lot of health care and lifesaving skills I will be able to use in the future,” Martin said.
The Two-Year Sequence of Health Careers program provides a solid baseline to enter the industry. Students completing the program can graduate high school with certifications as a home health aide (HHA) and personal care aide (PCA) or nurse assistant (NA) and enter the workforce, or they can pursue further education in college.
SkillsUSA is a career and technical student organization serving more than 395,000 high school and college 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.