Students Triumph at 2024 SkillsUSA Competition

Students from the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS) showcased their skills and earned medals and honors at the 2024 SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference. This annual event highlights the best career and technical education (CTE) students nationwide, who compete in over 100 different trade, technical, and leadership events. The 2024 SkillsUSA Championships took place in Atlanta in June.

At the national conference, SkillsUSA CTE students from CTECS demonstrated their expertise in fields such as electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assisting, and culinary arts, competing against the clock. All contests are organized by SkillsUSA with support from industry, trade associations, and labor organizations, testing industry-defined competencies. The annual championships cater to middle school, high school, and college-level SkillsUSA members.

SkillsUSA enhances the quality of the nation’s future skilled workforce through its SkillsUSA Framework, which focuses on personal, workplace, and technical skills grounded in academics. Top student winners received gold, silver, and bronze medallions, along with prizes such as trade tools and scholarships to advance their careers and education.

CTECS had 25 students place in the top 10 and 16 students place in the top 20. The following students achieved outstanding accomplishments at the 2024 national conference:

Gold Medals

Marissa Perez, Norwich Tech, 1st in Medical Terminology

Silver Medals

Charles Goede, Grasso Tech, 2nd in Plumbing

Sherlyn Barahona, Ananisse Maurico-Rodriguez, Donte Palacios, and Analise Rosen, 2nd in Health Knowledge Bowl

Bronze Medal

Justin Fargo, Windham Tech, 3rd in Technical Computer Applications

Top ten placements:

Anita Budge, Anthony Knapp, Alyssa Stahovee-Duntz, Oliver Wolcott Tech, 4th in Community service

Summer Discepolo, Windham Tech, 6th in Customer Service

Edward DeMarkey, Wright Tech, 6th in Job Interview

Braeden Barnabo, Abbott Tech, 6th in Graphic Communications

Crismerys Comas-Monero, Kaynor Tech, 7th in CNC 2-Axis Turning Programmer

Stephen Dohoney, Kaynor Tech, 7th in Extemporaneous Speaking

Micah Beausoleil, Ellis Tech, 7th in Masonry

Ariyah Ben-Yehudah, Kayla Bule, Leudy De La Cruz Genao, Jacinda Laroque, Rayza-Thaiz Nieves, Jaden Ramos and Leo Valdez From Eli Whitney Tech, 8th in Opening and Closing Ceremonies

Emma Phillips, Windham Tech, 8th in Prepared Speech

Freddy Lopez, Wilcox Tech, 9th in Culinary Arts

Top twenty placements:

Angel Cruz & Dennis Malcolm, Bullard Havens Tech, 11th in Emergency Medical Technician

Andrew Collins, Vinal Tech, 12th in Diesel Equipment Technology

Scarlet Hubbard, Wilcox Tech, 14th in Electronics Technology

Vera Lynn Vonville, Grasso Tech, 15th in Job Skill Demonstration Open

Lismary Aguilar, Solibella Davis, Joey-Lynn Mills, Norwich Tech, 15th in Promotional Bulletin Board

Lidia Fainer, Kaynor Tech, 15th in Job Skill Demonstration A

Adon Burrell, Oliver Wolcott Tech, 16th in Automotive Service Technology

Clarissa Kumar, Yossias Mulualem, Diogo Rocha Gaudencio, Platt Tech, 16th in Career Pathway Showcase

Linda Chen, Platt Tech, 19th in Architectural Drafting

Ethan Moore, Oliver Wolcott Tech, 19th in Carpentry

Hayley Rosario, Emmett O’Brien Tech, 19th in Technical Drafting