From Hewes Educational Center, Natayla Scoma placed first in the Animal Science competition; Angel Seeley placed first in the Food Prep Assistant competition. Both Scoma and Seeley attend Southwestern Central School. Dozens of area students enrolled in Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES Career and Technical Education programs recently competed in the 35th annual Area 1 SkillsUSA Region I Leadership Conference and Skills Olympics. 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 the skills they’ve learned in their respective fields.

Brooke Long of Southwestern placed second in the Employment Application Basic competition; and Ashlynn Weaver of Panama Central School placed third in the Custom Painting and Graphics competition.

From the LoGuidice Educational Center, Kaylee Keating placed first in the Employment Application Process competition.

From the Ormsby Educational Center, Erica Prible placed first in the Sport Conditioning competition; Nathan Blair placed first in the Carpentry competition; Rachel Cappello placed first in the Culinary Arts competition; Anthony Giufre placed second in the Sport Conditioning competition; and William Jayes placed third in the Auto Body competition.

Ashlynn Weaver of Panama Central School placed third in the Custom Painting and Graphics competition.

Paul Hoch, SkillsUSA adviser at Ormsby, said he was “extremely proud of the effort” students put into this year’s competition.

“Not only does it provide a lesson that students can learn from, but it also puts them in situations where they have to put in the extra effort and work with the teachers and with other students as teammates or partners to reach a level of quality that’s required to meet industry standards,” Hoch said. “Regardless of how you place, it’s something that’s going to make you better as a student. It’s going to make you grow automatically.”

These award winners will join their peers at the State Competition to be held in Syracuse from April 24-26.

For more information about E2CCB Career and Technical Education programming, please visit www.e2ccb.org.

Natayla Scoma of Southwestern Central School placed first in the Animal Science competition.

Angel Seeley of Southwestern Central School placed first in the Food Prep Assistant competition.