Forty-five Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education students showed their in-depth knowledge of the skilled trades and earned medals at the regional SkillsUSA competition on Wednesday, March 18 in Albany.
The 13 first place winners and other medal winners earned their way to the state SkillsUSA competition in Syracuse next month.
The student competitors, who hail from school districts as far-reaching as Watervliet and Cobleskill-Richmondville, showed expertise in areas as diverse as electrical wiring, public speaking, automotive repair, job interviewing, and cooking. They competed against their peers from Questar III and several other BOCES during a day filled with events at the Career & Technical Education Center – Albany Campus, as well as Schenectady County Community College (SCCC) and the International Union of Operating Engineers training facility in Albany.
A total of 450 students,, the most ever for the regional competition, took part in the event, said Debra Toy, said Debra Toy, a regional SkillsUSA representative who works at Capital Region BOCES. More than 90 of those competitors were from Capital Region BOCES.
The state SkillsUSA competition will be conducted April 22-24 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. Winners of that event will advance to the national competition in June.
“Congratulations to our scholars. They all did a fantastic job and we are very proud of them,” Toy said.
Representatives of dozens of businesses and government entities, from heating and cooling companies to labor unions to a volunteer fire company were on hand to assist in the event – helping to organize and judge the competitors.
“By being here today, we are helping students get ready for the workplace. We get to know them, and it really gets them ready to get out into the field,” said Julia Gadwah, a human resources recruitment and retention specialist with Crisafulli Brothers.
Students said they are excited by their medals, and many are looking forward to the state competition.
“This means a lot to me. I came here to do my best, and I did. It shows. Hopefully, I can do it again at states,” said Wyatt Strobeck, a Middleburgh student who placed first in the welding competition.
Digital Media Design senior Jacob Sawyer is a repeat winner of the Photography contest.
“It feels good to win again. I can’t wait to go to states,” the Schalmont student said.
Schenectady student Alijah Littman was left speechless after winning the Extemporaneous Speaking contest.
“It feels different. I didn’t expect to win. I can’t wait to go to the states,” the Digital Media Design student said.
This year’s regional SkillsUSA medalists and prize winners, the competition they placed in, their BOCES program and home school district are as follows:
First Place
- Wyatt Strobeck, Welding, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Middleburgh
- Jacob Sawyer, Photography, Digital Media Design, Schalmont
- Olivia VanEvera, Job Interview, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Cobleskill-Richmondville (CRCS)
- Hunter Goss, Related Technical Math, Manufacturing and Machining Technology, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk (RCS)
- Josivi Decarlo, Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice, Duanesburg
- Seamus McWatters, Auto Refinishing Technology, Automotive Collision Technology, South Colonie
- Alijah Littman, Extemporaneous Speaking, Digital Media Design, Schenectady
- Autumn Siatkowski, Employment Application Process Basic, Diesel Technology, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (BHBL)
- Nora Edgar, Action Skills Basic, Cosmetology, Scotia-Glenville
- The team of Kyra Walker, Shenendehowa; Amelia Wronoski, Guilderland; and Makenzie Ryan, Watervliet; Crime Scene Investigation, Criminal Justice
- June Wolf, Advertising Design, Digital Media Design, Shenendehowa
Second Place
- Caleb Bregenzer, Welding, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Shenendehowa
- Kilie Palmatier, Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Education, CRCS
- Drew Palluti, Culinary Arts, Culinary Arts and Hospitality Technology, Duanesburg
- Marley Wayman, Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice, CRCS
- Lilianna Hotaling, Cosmetology Junior, Cosmetology, Berne-Knox-Westerlo (BKW)
- Abigail Rose, Baking and Pastry, Culinary Arts and Hospitality Technology, Schalmont
- Christopher Barnes, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC), Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC/R), South Colonie
- David Beliveau, Heavy Equipment Operations, Heavy Equipment Repair and Operation (HERO), Schalmont
- William LaRose, Electrical Construction Wiring, Electrical Trades Technology, Shenendehowa
- Jack Smalley, Auto Refinishing Technology, Automotive Collision Technology, Shenendehowa
- Luca Wilson, Basic Carpenter’s Assistant, Carpentry Services, South Colonie
- Madison Coons, Advertising Design, Digital Media Design, Guilderland
- Chris Urgento, Auto Service Technology, Automotive Trades Technology, Scotia-Glenville
- The team of Thea Avramidis, Cohoes; Rabia Khan, Watervliet; and Katherine Stapf, Voorheesville; Crime Scene Investigation
Third Place
- Trista Smi, Welding, Welding and Metal Fabrication, BKW
- The team of Rosemary Harrington, Schalmont; Brianna Bailey, Duanesburg; and Payton Schuyler, CRCS, Promotional Bulletin Board
- The team of McKenzie Tansey, CRCS; Riley VanDenburgh, Schalmont; and Isaiah Ferguson, Schoharie; Crime Scene Investigation, Criminal Justice
- Joanna McCann, Cosmetology Junior, Cosmetology, CRCS
- Logan McCabe, Carpentry, Building Trades, Guilderland
- Bolaji Owodunni, Prepared Speech, Game Design and Implementation, North Colonie
- Emory Krongold, Job Interview, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Niskayuna
- Cody Bess, Heavy Equipment Operations, HERO, Voorheesville
- Elijah Goldberg, Employment Application Process Basic, Digital Media Design, North Colonie
- Brody Gallagher, Diesel Equipment Technology, Diesel Technology, CRCS
- Katherine Mazariego, Culinary Arts, Culinary Arts, Mohonasen
- Tristan Salerno, Action Skills Basic, Pet Tech, Scotia-Glenville
- Brandon Rosa, Auto Service Technology, Automotive Trades Technology, Schenectady
- Cheyenne Kaminski, Baking & Pastry Arts, Culinary Arts and Hospitality Technology, Scotia-Glenville
SkillsUSA is a career and technical student organization serving more than 395,000 high school students. The organization promotes personal and professional growth and offers students the opportunity to compete at the local, regional, state and national levels.