Center for Career Services welcomes SkillsUSA to campus
This marked the first time the Center for Career Services hosted a SkillsUSA event
The annual competition featured SkillsUSA members from across the Hudson Valley to showcase their talents in various career and technical education fields. There were competitors from 12 different schools and districts, including Southern Westchester BOCES, who competed in 38 different competitions.
“Hosting the SkillsUSA competition here at the Center for Career Services was incredible. Our staff was extremely dedicated and ensured this event was a success,” said Center for Career Services Principal Jaclyn De Lao, who is an Area IV Administrator Trustee for SkillsUSA and served as emcee of the awards presentation. “You could feel the excitement around campus once students started to arrive for the competition. It was so impressive to see the amazing things our young people are capable of from the CTE learning experience. It always reminds me of the importance of education and the CTE experience for students.”
Students raved about the competition, which, for the majority of Southern Westchester BOCES students, was their first experience with SkillsUSA.
“Truthfully, this was like nothing I had experienced before,” said Patricia Abad, a senior from White Plains who competed in Cake Decorating. “I felt like there was a lot of pressure but it was also really fun. I realized after seeing how the competition worked that our hard work had really paid off. We came really far while getting ready for this event.”
“During the studying process to get ready for the competition, I realized that I was capable of so much more than I thought,” said Rachael Espinoza, a senior from White Plains who participated in the Animal Careers competition. “I had a really positive experience here.”
At the conclusion of the competitions, students, staff members and judges attended an awards ceremony at Highlands Middle School in White Plains. There were 22 students and/or student teams from the Center for Career Services who placed in the Top 3 of their respective competition. The winners of each competition advanced to New York’s SkillsUSA Championships in Syracuse in April. Southern Westchester BOCES students who earned the highest honor of gold included: Nahdi Naheem (Automotive Service Technology), Logan Pierre and Shane Gordon (Digital Cinema Production); Louisa Salvador (First Aid/CPR); and Abraham Suarez (Related Technical Math).
Being on their home campus brought a comfort level to the students who participated.
“This was a familiar atmosphere, a familiar environment,” said Jake Olivier, a senior from Eastchester, who placed third in the Digital Cinema Production competition with partner Eugene Egbivwie. “I think that allowed us to have a better understanding the of equipment here and just overall feel more comfortable.”
“It was really fun,” said Elizabeth Torres, a senior Animal Science student from New Rochelle who competed in the Job Interview competition. “It was definitely nerve-wracking at first, but I felt good about myself going into it. We had time to practice in class and we were all practicing for something. We all really helped each other prepare so we were ready.”
Congratulations to the Southern Westchester BOCES students who placed in their competitions!
Advertising Design
Onome Egbivwie, Eastchester, 3rd Place
Animal Careers
Kaylin Bores, Irvington, 2nd Place
Gabriella Capone, Eastchester, 3rd Place
Automotive Service Technology
Nahdi Naheem, New Rochelle, 1st Place
Fabian Dragani, Port chester, 3rd Place
Automotive Vehicle Maintenance Basic
Luke Ambroglo, Eastchester, 2nd Place
Criminal Justice
Nathaniel Stone, Ardsley, 2nd Place
Culinary Arts
Andres Angulo, New Rochelle, 2nd Place
Sarah George, Pelham, 3rd Place
Culinary Arts Quiz Bowl
Moses Castillo, Harrison, 3rd Place
Jael Goulbourne, Valhalla
David Dierssen, Greenburgh
Digital Cinema Production
Logan Pierre, New Rochelle, 1st Place
Shane Gordon, Byram Hills
Jake Olivier, Eastchester, 3rd Place
Eugene Egbivwie, Eastchester
Electrical Construction Wiring
Armondo Cilento, Rye Neck, 2nd Place
First Aid/CPR
Louisa Salvador, Rye, 1st Place
Danna Zapata, New Rochelle, 2nd Place
Job Demonstration • Year 1
Aubrey Budde, Harrison, 3rd Place
Job Demonstration - Year 2
Carl Danielson, Harrison, 2nd Place
Job Interview
Elizabeth Torres, New Rochelle, 3rd Place
Nail Care
Hailey Walsh, Pelham, 2nd Place
Emillie Rochelle Joseph, Greenburgh
Related Tehnical Math
Abraham Suarez, New Rochelle, 1st Place
Alessandro Vaccaro, Ardsley, 3rd Place
