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BOCES Students Compete In SkillsUSA, Earn 11 Awards

ALFRED — Dozens of students from throughout the region enrolled in Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES Career and Technical Education programs competed recently in the 30th annual SkillsUSA Region I Leadership Conference and Skills Olympics.

For the second consecutive year, E2CCB CTE students walked away with double-digit awards and honors.

“In total, our Career and Technical Education Students earned 11 awards, 10 in competition and one student from the Ormsby Educational Center earned a Statesman Award,” said Kevin Valentine, LoGuidice Educational Center welding instructor and SkillsUSA advisor.

SkillsUSA, a partnership between students, teachers and industry leaders, works to empower students to achieve career success through the development of personal, professional and technical skills. The Leadership Conference and Skills Olympics gives students the opportunity to demonstrate what skills learned in their respective fields.

“This competition really puts the onus on the students to demonstrate what they’re passionate about and to act as ambassadors, in a way, for their programs,” Valentine said. “Competitions like this help build comradery between students and programs and gives students the chance to earn accolades for their portfolios as they advance in their career.”

Students, such as Dustin Stark of Gowanda who is enrolled in the Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Program at the Carrier Educational Center, put their knowledge to the test before a panel of judges including Alfred State faculty, staff and students.

“Dustin did a tremendous job demonstrating a portable heat pump training unit at the competition,” said Roger Kraus, HVAC/R teacher. “The principles this unit demonstrates are used in all refrigeration systems from small window air conditioners, to large industrial / process cooling systems.”

Award winners include, from Hewes Educational Center: Grant Cheney of Falconer placed second in the Basic Automotive Competition.

LoGuidice Educational Center: Connor Lynden of Fredonia, placed second in the Auto Technology Competition; Madison Mosher of Pine Valley, placed third in the Animal Careers Competition; and a third-place finish by the Quiz Bowl Team comprised of Zach Dawley of Fredonia, Jonny Skrok of Fredonia, Vitus Bourkney of Lake Shore and Amber Krzyzanowski of Cassadaga.

Ormsby Educational Center: Paige White of Iroquois and Madison Best of Springville-Griffith placed first in the Esthetics Competition as technician and model, respectively; Grace Corley of Orchard Park placed first in the Cosmetology Junior Competition; Daniel Eckert of Iroquois placed first in the Automotive Technology Competition; Julia Tibold of Iroquois placed second in the Culinary Arts Competition; Ryan Wilson of Iroquois placed second in the Technical Drafting Competition; Veronica Boller of Iroquois placed third in the Related Technical Math Competition; and Stephanie Young of Springville-Griffith earned the Statesman Award.

Each CTE center fundraises throughout the school year to help send students to the competition. These award winners will now advance to the State Competition held in Syracuse on April 24-26.

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