AUBURN - Christina Lupo couldn't believe her ears when she was named the first place winner of a SkillsUSA regional competition earlier this month.
Sam Tenney / The Citizen
Skills USA member Devon Lake works on a business plan project in the Graphic Design / New Media class at BOCES.
Skills USA member Devon Lake works on a business plan project in the Graphic Design / New Media class at BOCES.
“I couldn't breathe,” said the 16-year-old Auburn student at Cayuga-Onondaga Board of Cooperative Educational Services.
“I was shaking. I was probably shaking the whole way home.”
Lupo garnered a first place win in customer service at the competition at SUNY Delhi Feb 7. And she wasn't the only one.
Sixteen BOCES students placed in the top three of 10 individual SkillsUSA competitions, from computer technology to precision heavy equipment operation.
“I thought I was going to do all right, but I didn't expect to do all that,” Katie Buschbascher, 17, of Skaneateles, said. Buschbascher garnered a second place win in advertising design.
Joe Librandi-Cowan, 17, of Auburn had two words to describe his second-place win in customer service: “Oh man.”
SkillsUSA, formerly known as Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to serving high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations.
With a partnership between students, teachers and industry representatives, SkillsUSA provides a forum for collaboration to ensure the nation has a skilled workforce.
“It's a way to introduce students to industry,” said Darryl Jirinec, SkillsUSA advisor and heavy equipment repair and operation teacher at BOCES. “Industry really supports the program, and if students do well in the competition, it means they are doing well in the program.”
With the aid of advisors Jirinec, Ray Rutkowski and Susan Burnett, high school juniors and seniors conduct official SkillsUSA meetings maintaining parliamentary procedures, fundraise and go on fieldtrips for both education as well as just plain fun.
Now all eyes are on the statewide competition in April. Top winners in each field are preparing for a tough race to nationals, held this June in Kansas City, Miss.
But while students are looking to the future, they are no less pleased with their accomplishments in the first round.
“I'm very excited and proud of myself that I did all that work to prepare,” said Matthew Kidd, 17, of Auburn, who won first place in the job interview competition at SUNY Delhi. “It wasn't about winning, but what I learned and the experience.”
And the advisors are gratified that so many of their students came out of the competition with wins.
“It's just amazing,” said Rutkowski. “They really do a great job.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
How students placed
Sixteen Cayuga-Onondaga Board of Cooperative Educational Services students came back from the SkillsUSA regional competition at SUNY Delhi earlier this month with first, second and third place wins in 10 categories. Below are the winners, some of whom will be heading to the state competition held from April 9 to 11.
Caitlin Carter First place First Aid/ CPR
Tim Haskin First place Technical Computer Applications
Michael Rose First place Computer Maintenance Technology
Matt Kidd First place Job Interview
Christina Lupo First place Customer Service
Anthony Perrotta First place Diesel Equipment Technology
Richard Andrews First place Precision Heavy Equipment Operation
Pat Willis First place Power Equipment Technology
Katie Buschbascher Second place Advertising Design
Joe Lidrandi-Cowan Second place Customer Service
Chris Bumpus Second place Automotive Service Technology
Kyle Murphy Second place Diesel Equipment Technology
Dan O'Hara Second place Precision Heavy Equipment Operation
Chelsea Paquette Third place Nurse Assisting
Chris Ecker Third place Computer Maintenance Technology
Bill Morrissey Third place Customer Service
“I was shaking. I was probably shaking the whole way home.”
Lupo garnered a first place win in customer service at the competition at SUNY Delhi Feb 7. And she wasn't the only one.
Sixteen BOCES students placed in the top three of 10 individual SkillsUSA competitions, from computer technology to precision heavy equipment operation.
“I thought I was going to do all right, but I didn't expect to do all that,” Katie Buschbascher, 17, of Skaneateles, said. Buschbascher garnered a second place win in advertising design.
Joe Librandi-Cowan, 17, of Auburn had two words to describe his second-place win in customer service: “Oh man.”
SkillsUSA, formerly known as Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to serving high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations.
With a partnership between students, teachers and industry representatives, SkillsUSA provides a forum for collaboration to ensure the nation has a skilled workforce.
“It's a way to introduce students to industry,” said Darryl Jirinec, SkillsUSA advisor and heavy equipment repair and operation teacher at BOCES. “Industry really supports the program, and if students do well in the competition, it means they are doing well in the program.”
With the aid of advisors Jirinec, Ray Rutkowski and Susan Burnett, high school juniors and seniors conduct official SkillsUSA meetings maintaining parliamentary procedures, fundraise and go on fieldtrips for both education as well as just plain fun.
Now all eyes are on the statewide competition in April. Top winners in each field are preparing for a tough race to nationals, held this June in Kansas City, Miss.
But while students are looking to the future, they are no less pleased with their accomplishments in the first round.
“I'm very excited and proud of myself that I did all that work to prepare,” said Matthew Kidd, 17, of Auburn, who won first place in the job interview competition at SUNY Delhi. “It wasn't about winning, but what I learned and the experience.”
And the advisors are gratified that so many of their students came out of the competition with wins.
“It's just amazing,” said Rutkowski. “They really do a great job.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
How students placed
Sixteen Cayuga-Onondaga Board of Cooperative Educational Services students came back from the SkillsUSA regional competition at SUNY Delhi earlier this month with first, second and third place wins in 10 categories. Below are the winners, some of whom will be heading to the state competition held from April 9 to 11.
Caitlin Carter First place First Aid/ CPR
Tim Haskin First place Technical Computer Applications
Michael Rose First place Computer Maintenance Technology
Matt Kidd First place Job Interview
Christina Lupo First place Customer Service
Anthony Perrotta First place Diesel Equipment Technology
Richard Andrews First place Precision Heavy Equipment Operation
Pat Willis First place Power Equipment Technology
Katie Buschbascher Second place Advertising Design
Joe Lidrandi-Cowan Second place Customer Service
Chris Bumpus Second place Automotive Service Technology
Kyle Murphy Second place Diesel Equipment Technology
Dan O'Hara Second place Precision Heavy Equipment Operation
Chelsea Paquette Third place Nurse Assisting
Chris Ecker Third place Computer Maintenance Technology
Bill Morrissey Third place Customer Service
The Citizens' Say
There are No comments posted.