Students ranging from future nurses to future chefs, contractors and fashion designers will lead the Capital Region BOCES Career & Technical Education Center – Albany Campus SkillsUSA chapter for the 2023-24 school year.
During a tradition-rich ceremony in front of parents and friends, the officers were sworn in on Oct. 17.
SkillsUSA officers, their program, teacher and home school districts are as follows:
Morning session officers
- President Erin Fresn, Culinary Arts & Hospitality Technology, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (BHBL)
- Vice President Ian Caterina, Two-Year Sequence of Health Careers, Scotia – Glenville
- Treasurer Nico Rivera, Culinary Arts & Hospitality Technology, Mohonasen
- Secretary Inara Bradford, Criminal Justice, Niskayuna
- Parliamentarian John Collins, Game Design and Implementation, Schalmont
- Historian Simon Durham, Auto Services, Niskayuna
- Photographer Nadia Nunn, Digital Media Design, Schenectady
- Community Service Liaison Natalie Bartlett, Diesel Technology, Cobleskill-Richmondville
Afternoon session officers
- President Elijah Edwards, Building Trades, Schenectady
- Vice President Riley Trudell, Manufacturing and Machining Technology, Shenendehowa
- Treasurer Faith Coates, Global Fashion, Berne-Knox-Westerlo (BKW)
- Secretary Lillian Sweeney, Digital Media Design, Guilderland
- Parliamentarian Ethan LaCross, Criminal Justice, Shenendehowa
- Historian Liam Pierce, Network Cabling, Wireless Technologies, and Cybersecurity, Niskayuna
- Photographer Olivia Wood, Early Childhood Education, BHBL
- Community Service Liaison Brian Barnett, Electrical Trades, Guilderland
- Editor-In-Chief Sadie Plant, Digital Media Design, BKW
The new presidents said they look forward to the year ahead.
“I am very excited for the year ahead,” said Edwards. “This club offers so many opportunities to so many students. It’s great.”
Fresn concurred.
“SkillsUSA is like one big community and you have a good time with people who have similar interests to you,” she said. I look forward to working with people who have a good, positive, mindset.”
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 network with industry executives and professionals at the local, regional, state and national levels and to compete in competitions. The organization also promotes giving back to the community, which locally results in collections each year for food pantries and city missions.