High schoolers compete in 27th annual SkillsUSA Regional Conference at Alfred State

More than 900 high school students from Region I Board of Cooperative Education and Services (BOCES) districts, encompassing Western New York and the Southern Tier, competed in the 27th annual SkillsUSA Region I Leadership Conference and Skills Olympics March 8 at Alfred State.

The winners of this regional competition will advance to the next level in Syracuse in April, where all six regions in New York State will meet to attempt to qualify for the national competition in Kansas City, MO, in June. A postsecondary SkillsUSA state competition will also take place on the Wellsville campus on Saturday, March 26.

Skills tests ranged from criminal justice to TV/video production to precision machining. Alfred State faculty, staff, and students were heavily involved in the design, implementation, and judging of many of the contests. Many of the high school students were exposed to a college campus for the first time.

Contestants from the following schools attended:

Genesee Valley (Batavia); Career and Technical Education Center at Belmont; Lake Shore/ Carrier Educational Center (Angola); Charles G May Career-Tech Center (Mt. Morris); Greater Southern Tier (GST) BOCES, Coopers Campus (Painted Post); Edison Tech and Occupational High School (Rochester); Eastern Monroe Career Center (EMCC) (Fairport); Ellicottville CTE Center; Finger Lakes Technical and Career Center (Stanley); GST BOCES Pauline Bush Campus (Elmira); Harkness Career and Technical Center (Cheektowaga); Hewes Educational Center (Ashville); Kenton Career and Technical Education Center (Tonawanda); LoGuidice Center (Fredonia); Niagara (Sanborn); Olean CTE Center; Orleans Career and Technical Education Center (Medina); WD Ormsby Educational Center (East Aurora); Potter Career and Technical Center (West Seneca); Wayne Technical and Career Center (Williamson); WEMOCO Career and Technical Education Center (Spencerport); and GST BOCES, Wildwood Campus (Hornell).

An awards ceremony honored the following winners:

Action Skills

• Kelli-Lynn Wilkesmore, Niagara, 1^st
• Andrea Contestabile, EMCC, 2^nd
• Lindsey Gnage, WEMOCO, 3^rd

Advertising Design

• Luis Placeres, Edison Tech, 1^st
• Emily Kokot, GST Wildwood, 2^nd
• Wyatt Ames, GST Wildwood, 3^rd

Animal Careers

• Madeline Scheer, W.D. Ormsby, 1^st
• Joelle Randall-McCann, W.D. Ormsby, 2^nd
• Kari Salazar, Finger Lakes Tech, 3^rd

Auto Body Helper

• Lucas Russo, WEMOCO, 1^st
• Jacob Wilson, Wayne Tech, 2^nd
• Deric Cyphert, Niagara, 3^rd

Auto Service Basic

• Dylan Binnert, GVB Batavia, 1^st
• Kyle Elliott, GVB Batavia, 2^nd
• Ryan Doepp, Orleans, 3^rd

Auto Technology

• Elvir Haskovic, WEMOCO, 1^st
• James Piva, Niagara, 2^nd
• Dylan Barrett, EMCC, 3^rd

Automated Manufacturing Technology

• Niagara, 1^st
• Niagara, 2^nd
• W.D. Ormsby, 3^rd

Carpenter's Assistant

• Roman Sagan, WEMOCO, 1^st
• Jose Santiago, Niagara, 2^nd
• Christopher Maki, GST Bush, 3^rd

Carpentry

• Alexander Ackley, Niagara, 1^st
• Parker Cady, GST Wildwood, 2^nd
• Aaron VanSkiver, GST Wildwood, 3^rd

Collision Repair

• David Gorgson, Kenton, 1^st
• Isaac Lippincott, GST Wildwood, 2^nd
• Derek Mann, W.D. Ormsby, 3^rd

Commercial Baking

• Shaylee Oney, GST Wildwood, 1^st
• Bailey Mackenzie, Niagara, 2^nd
• Erika Holtz, W.D. Ormsby, 3^rd

Computer Maintenance

• Kevin Lapham, GST Wildwood, 1^st
• Shane Davis, GST Wildwood, 2^nd
• David Sieczkarski, GST Wildwood, 3^rd

Conservation

• Calob Franklin, Hewes, 1^st
• Michael Wardzinski, Niagara, 2^nd
• Hunter Arbogast, Wayne Tech, 3^rd

Cosmetology Jr.

• Anh Phuona Mai, EMCC, 1^st
• Chelsea Chamberlain, Belmont, 2^nd
• Sarah Kurbs, Orleans, 3^rd

Cosmetology Sr.

• Mandy Forenz, GST Wildwood, 1^st
• Emily Jacus, Niagara, 2^nd
• Allexyss Mitstifer, GST Bush, 3^rd

CPR/First Aid

• Sarah Piorski, W.D. Ormsby, 1^st
• Jay Riesenberger, EMCC, 2^nd
• Emily Wysocarski, EMCC, 3^rd

Criminal Justice

• Nick Kozlowski, Olean, 1^st
• Jacob Cornell, GST Coopers, 2^nd
• Anthony Ozzella, Olean, 3^rd

Crime Scene Investigation (Three-Person Teams)

• Olean, 1^st
• C.G. May, 2^nd
• Belmont, 3^rd

Culinary Arts

• Kody Derhak, EMCC, 1^st
• Abigayle Brietzke, C.G. May, 2^nd
• Owen Jones, Harkness, 3^rd

Custom Painting & Graphics

• Noah Schleich, C.G. May, 1^st
• Thomas Lee, Hewes, 2^nd
• Caroline Schall, W.D. Ormsby, 3^rd

Diesel Mechanics

• Alexander Fischer, Niagara, 1^st
• Kyle Sharkey, Niagara, 2^nd
• Maxwell Morrell, Niagara, 3^rd

Early Childhood

• Wynter Dumont, Orleans, 1^st
• Emma Sens, EMCC, 2^nd
• Selah Lowery, Niagara, 3^rd

Electrical Construction & Wiring

• Peter Roloson, Finger Lakes Tech, 1^st
• Cullin Wanbsganss, Potter, 2^nd
• Curtis Miller, Harkness, 3^rd

Electronics Technology

• Brendan Schyve, Orleans, 1^st

Employment Application

• Jordan Coon, EMCC, 1^st
• Katelynn Kusmierz, Niagara, 2^nd
• James Williams, WEMOCO, 3^rd

Extemporaneous Speaking

• Amelia O’Shell, GST Bush, 1^st
• Kayla Smith, Orleans; and Julianna Lisak, EMCC, 2^nd
• Kayla Licht, Orleans, 3^rd

Food Prep Assistant

• Hailey Weaver, GST Wildwood, 1^st
• Ryan McIntosh, EMCC, 2^nd
• Tom Shaw, C.G. May, 3^rd

Health Knowledge Bowl (Four-Person Teams)

• Orleans, 1^st
• Belmont, 2^nd
• Niagara, 3^rd

Job Demo A

• Christa Vanderkamp, EMCC, 1^st
• Joseph Gavin, GST Wildwood, 2^nd
• Laicey Axtell, GST Coopers, 3^rd

Job Demo Open

• Dawson Gilbert, Wayne Tech, 1^st
• Jacob Forsyth, GST Coopers, 2^nd
• Michaela Conklin, GST Bush, 3^rd

Job Interview

• Amanda Klamut, Niagara, 1^st
• Ally Mack, Finger Lakes Tech, 2^nd
• Julia Wood, WEMOCO, 3^rd

Masonry

• Dylan Burtch, Orleans, 1^st
• Corkey Swails, Edison, 2^nd
• Jesse Wilcox, Orleans, 3^rd

Nail Technician

• Makena Carpenter, Orleans, 1^st
• Braillen Hare, Orleans, 2^nd
• Olya Cyran, W.D. Ormsby, 3^rd

Photography

• Keira Fletcher, Niagara, 1^st
• Sophia Cox, EMCC, 2^nd
• Macayla Howell, GST Wildwood, 3^rd

Power Equipment Technology

• Cory Ormsby, Niagara, 1^st
• Jacob Booth, GST Wildwood, 2^nd
• Jessie Penpa, Wayne Tech, 3^rd

Precision Heavy Equipment

• Justin Raly, Wayne Tech, 1^st
• Cameron Bobout, GST Wildwood, 2^nd
• Hunter Tingley, GST Wildwood, 3^rd

Precision Machining

• Josh Dimora, Wayne Tech, 1^st
• Cody Westmorland, Niagara, 2^nd
• Ryan George, GVB Batavia, 3^rd

Prepared Speech

• Andrea Hess, Ellicottville, 1^st
• William Pelorella, Orleans, 2^nd
• Hannah Howe, Potter, 3^rd

Quiz Bowl (Five-Person Teams)

• EMCC, 1^st
• WEMOCO, 2^nd
• GVB Batavia, 3^rd

Related Technical Math

• Mike Beach, GST Bush, 1^st
• Erik Regan, Harkness, 2^nd
• Matthew Watts, Orleans, 3^rd

Restaurant Services

• Sarah White, Niagara, 1^st
• Briana Thompson, LoGuidice, 2^nd
• Morgan Dennis, GST Wildwood, 3^rd

Small Engines

• Emmanuel Franco, Wayne Tech, 1^st
• Codey Derick, GST Wildwood, 2^nd
• Logan Drake, GST Wildwood, 3^rd

Technical Drafting

• Devon Schiefer, W.D. Ormsby, 1^st
• Kevin Miller, Finger Lakes Tech, 2^nd
• Conner Heiser, Niagara, 3^rd

T-Shirt Design

• Jose Rivera, Edison, 1^st
• Aryien Carey, GST Coopers, 2^nd
• Jack White, GST Coopers, 3^rd

TV/Video Production

• GST Wildwood, 1^st
• GST Bush, 2^nd
• WEMOCO, 3^rd

Welding

• Kyle Russo, Niagara, 1^st
• Colton Duyssen, GVB Batavia, 2^nd
• Hunter Allen, GST Wildwood, 3^rd