Local students earn 17 gold medals in Skills USA Division 2 Competition
-By Martin Nevarez-Ulloa and Dick Mason
Jeff Lemkuhl of San Luis Obispo High School gives instructions to judges in automotive competition. Photo by Dick Mason.
Skills USA competition held at Paso Robles High School
–Paso Robles High School hosted the Regional Skills USA competition Saturday. Students from up and down the Central Coast and the San Joaquin Valley competed in tests of skills ranging from welding to automotive repair to job interviewing.
Students from Paso Robles High School took home 17 gold medals for a variety of business-oriented skills. Students from Division 2 – which includes Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, San Benito, Kings, Fresno, Monterey, and Kern, Santa Cruz, and Tulare County – competed in dozens of competitions based on trade skills such as digital cinema, welding, automotive, electronic tech, cabinet making, and robotic engineering, among others.
Melissa Perozzi pre-checks testing material in electronics test. Photo by Dick Mason.
Students are recruited from academic and technical courses at their high schools and community colleges to participate in the Skills USA competition. The winners at the Regional Skills USA event advance to the state competition. Many of the local judges are past winners in the Skills USA competition.
This year saw the largest number of competitors ever, with more than 800 students from up and down the Central Coast and San Joaquin Valley, as opposed to last year’s 230.
Student competitors fill the Paso Robles High School Gym. Photo by Martin Nevarez-Ulloa.
The skills contest featured 24 competitions including carpentry, plumbing, cabinet making, dental testing, digital cinema, electronic tech, mobile robotics, CNC welding, automotive tech, photography, firefighting, criminal justice, welding, 3D Visual animations, marine service, technical drafting, and others, at both high school and post-secondary levels. “Skills USA is a partnership of teachers, students, businesses, and the community,” says Denise Conte, a coordinator for the Skills USA event, “it makes the students better employees, so when they go to apply for jobs a skills competition on their resume makes them a more likely candidate.”
Competitors in the contest are recruited from both academic and technical courses at their local high schools and community colleges to participate in the Skills USA competition. In this year’s regional contest, students and teams from Paso Robles High School took home 17 Gold medals, 16 Silver medals, and 11 Bronze medals for a variety of contests. “Skills USA is a wonderful opportunity for students to get career training,” said Aaliyah Lewis, a 1st place winner in Digital Cinema Production, “it’s really a great thing to be given the opportunity to showcase our talents and compete against others who are talented in the same way.”
The Skills USA State Competition will begin in April and will be held in San Diego. Winners of the regionals will face off against each other to determine which teams will go to Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky in June.
Complete list of medal winning students
Gold
- Maria Vargas-20 Second Elevator
- David Krivinko – CPS Manufacturing
- Skyler O’Conner-CPS Manufacturing
- Sebastian Ouellette-CPS Manufacturing
- Benjamin Aschenbrener-Criminal Justice
- Alex Younger-Culinary Arts
- Darren Chodkowski-Diesel Equipment Technology
- Brina Dang-Digital Cinema Production
- Aaliyah Lewis-Diital Cinema Production
- Cassidy Moses-Early Childhood Education
- Alim Ben Brahim-Electrical Construction Wiring
- Madison Harris-First Aid/CPR
- Aca McDonald-Marine Service Technology
- Roxana Romero Lopez-Mobile Electronic Installation
- Alex Hernandez-Motorcycle Service Technology
- Mason Steiner-Plumbing
- Ethan Tran-Robotics: Urban Search & Rescue
- Juan Aguilar-Robotics: Urban Search & Rescue
- Mason Brown-Telecommunications Cabling
- Iver Hansen-Welding
- Nick Cummings-Weldng Sculpture
Silver
- Destini McAllen Alcaraz-Commercial Baking
- Chloe Holstine-CPS-Education Training Services
- Trey Durfee-CPS Education Training Services
- Kelsey Nunes-CPS Education Training Services
- Nicholas Newan-Customer Service
- Jonathan Russell-Diesel Equipment Technology
- Cheyenne Pruitt-Early Childhood Education
- Harrison Gomes-Electrical Construction Wiring
- Vincent McGranahan-Extemporaneous Speech
- Lily Seebart-1st Aid/CPR
- Taylor Pafumi-Job Interview
- Serae Collins-Mobile Electronics Installation
- Wyatt Matteson-Mobile Robotic Technology
- Ethan Hovde-Mbile Robotic Technology
- Noah Sanchez-Motorcycle Service Technology
- Michael Slason-Plumbing
- Tanner Washburn-Welding Fabrication
- Michael Dye-Welding Fabrication
- Chris Hernandez-Welding Fabrication
- Ernie Trejo-Welding SMAW
- Shane Terra-Welding TIG
Bronze
- Cassidy Moses-Job Interview
- Oscar Hurtado-Mobile Electronics Installation
- Brandon Halebsky-Mobile Robotics Technology
- Jacob Cagliero-Mobile Robotics Technology
- Austyn McMinn-Plumbing
- Alberto Toral-Welding-Oxy Acetylene
- Anthony Cordes-Welding SMAW
- Jayestin Salvador-Carpentry
- Emerson Phillis-Computer Programming
- Riley McNeil-Culinary Arts
- Dianey Perez-Early Childhood Education’
- Clinton Marsh-Electrical Construction Wiring
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