About three dozen students from the Ashtabula County Technical & Career Campus (A-Tech) are headed to the SkillsUSA State Conference after earning medals at the SkillsUSA Northeast Regional Saturday at A-Tech.
423 contestants from career centers and high schools across Northeast Ohio converged on the A-Tech campus to compete in 30 contests. The competitions range from demonstrating a career technical skill to leadership contests. The top three in each contest advance to the SkillUSA State Conference.
SkillsUSA rewards students for excellence, and involves industry in directly evaluating student performance. There were 103 judges comprised of local business and community leaders and A-Tech alumni.
A-Tech Gold Medal Winners include:
Charles Deeter (CNC Milling); Rachael Taylor (Cosmetology); Haley Norris, Olivia Palinkas, Misael Alicea (Crime Scene Investigation); Jacob Young (Automotive Service Technology); Alexus Hill & Patience Morales (Nail Care); Christopher Latorres (Criminal Justice); Travis-Lynn Stright (CNC Technician); Skylar Maylee (CNC Turning); Steven Adkins (Collision Repair Technology); Joshua Wilson (Technical Drafting); Russell Gregory, Xiao Lin, Tara Myers, Melissa Robinson, Tiffany Ruks, Madelyn Schor, Savanna Sternberg, Cierra Weissmiller (Opening and Closing Ceremony Team).
A-Tech Silver Medal Winners include:
Mikayla Joles (Carpentry); Cody Brown (Job Skill Demo Open); Brent Carroll (Industrial Motor Control); Ryan Johnson (Electrical Construction Wiring); Hannah Poploske (Prepared Speech); Katriona Stagg (Advertising Design); Sydney Taylor (Job Skill Demonstration A); Cole Dafoe, Ronald Ange, Kyle Sweeney, Johnathon Raygoza (Teamworks).
A-Tech Bronze Medal Winners include:
Alexis Kicielinski (Medical Terminology); Dreaderick Powell (Architectural Drafting); Mya Kacvinsky(Photography); Joleigh McAvoy (Nurse Assisting).
Many students were also awarded scholarships. Ohio Technical College provided scholarships to winners and participants in five contests totalling $57,500.
American Welding Society also provided scholarships to the top two in the Welding competition totalling $2,500.
Stark State Community College awarded a $2,000 scholarship to Jacob Young as the winner of the Automotive Service Technology contest.
“It’s a chance for our students to showcase what they’ve learned. But it’s different than the classroom every day. They are competing against other students they don’t know. That adds stress, so it shows they have really learned that skill,” said A-Tech Principal Paul Brockett.
“You see the students going up to get their medals and they’re running up there. It’s great to see the excitement of the students and how well they did.”
In addition to the winners, there are a number of A-Tech students who will attend the State Conference as Ambassadors.
The SkillUSA State Conference is April 16th & 17th in Columbus.
SkillsUSA Regional by the Numbers
- $62,000 in Scholarships Awarded
- 423 Student Competitors
- 35 A-Tech Students Earned Medals
- 30 Contests
- 103 Contest Judges
- 100+ Teachers & Advisors
- 650 Pizzas Ordered for Lunch