"Told You So!" Results & Reflections from SkillsUSA State Competition
by Joey Greco, Welding senior from New Castle High
This year, 21 students from LCCTC were able to travel to Hershey PA for the Pennsylvania SkillsUSA State Competition on April 6-8, 2022. After a two-year hiatus from in-person competition, this year has been overwhelming, to say the least. With a 5-hour trip on a coach bus already accomplished, rushed students already having attended their orientation meetings, settling into lodge rooms, and a delicious dinner made for over a thousand diners, it was time for opening ceremonies to start. It was like a concert with music and lasers and lights. Senior Maylene Ritter couldn’t have said it any better as she leaned over to her advisors and projected over the sound of music selected to build the excitement for the week: “You didn’t tell me it was going to be THIS much fun!”
LCCTC Advisor of SkillsUSA, Mrs. Weisenstin, with a smile that mirrored Maylene’s, responded, “I TOLD you so!”
From then on — “I told you so” seemed to be the theme for the fun experienced over the rest of the three days of the conference.
Braced with nerves of steel, our LCCTC competitors went to do what they intended to do — compete. This level of anxiety was the equivalent of a job-seeker preparing for that big interview, and soon, it was time to put all of that practice to work; it was time to shine — and shine they did!
Afterward, — it was all fun which included a game of “hide and seek” in the lodge, snacks upon snacks upon snacks, board games, and an arcade and Kalahari-style indoor pool about 50 feet from where the assigned lodge rooms were located.
The next morning, it was anxious anticipation as the kids headed to breakfast and waited to enter the closing ceremonies. Little did they know — the entire school was watching; the live stream was playing in almost every classroom, so there were more than the 21 Skills members who had grown to become family wishing and hoping to see the stage. For those who didn’t walk to get a medal, the others understood; the level of competition was truly on a different plane than any of them had ever experienced. For the underclassmen there that day, every competition announced helped them grow more and more determined to return to see that stage. Plans to return even stronger were already being made. Back home, students made plans to join SkillsUSA with the hopes of getting that bid to compete at the state level After all — the next 2023 District 10 competition is just a few months away!!
Our students were able to make so many new friends from all across the state, but even more importantly — they became a family within themselves. They were quick to help, eager to support, and were simply there for each other for every moment. It was truly fun to see.
Congratulations to all of the Lawrence County CTC SkillsUSA students for their outstanding success in Hershey! Approximately 900 competitors gathered at the Hershey Lodge to showcase their amazing projects to earn a bid for the national competition in Atlanta, GA.
We are incredibly proud of every student who earned their way to states and who made it to nationals in June. A special congratulations goes to the Opening and Closing Team who have earned the opportunity to compete on the national level for the 6th year in a row! In all, the members of the LCCTC Chapter of SkillsUSA brought home sixteen medals! Well done!!
GOLD - Employment Application Process - Ian Stoneking (junior, HA ~ Ellwood)
GOLD - Health Occupations Professional Portfolio - Parker Frelin (senior, HA ~ Ellwood)
GOLD - Opening And Closing Team - Lucellia Allen (senior, RT ~ New Castle), Alexis Koelliker (senior, COS ~ Shenango), Katie Bober (senior, VA ~ Laurel), Daniella Wetzel (senior, RT ~ New Castle), Elia Rae McKnight (junior, EO ~ Laurel), Katherine Tillia (junior, CA ~ Ellwood), Maylene Ritter (senior, COS ~ Ellwood)
SILVER - Pin Design - Mackenzie Helle (senior, CA ~ Union)
SILVER - Chapter Display Team - Donovan Ellis (senior, EO ~ Neshannock), Dillon Wheaton (senior, WELD ~ Neshannock), Joseph Greco (senior, WELD ~ New Castle)
SILVER - Promotional Bulletin Board Team Of Commercial Artists - Tommilynn Genareo (junior, CA ~ Shenango), Leanna Miller (sophomore, CA ~ Laurel), Tristan Queener (junior, CA ~ New Castle)
LCCTC is pleased to announce that we will be sending the nine gold-winning students to nationals in Atlanta, GA this June with the same goal in mind: To make their hometowns proud. In Georgia, over 6,500 outstanding students - all state contest winners - will compete hands-on in 108 different trade, technical, and leadership fields. Good luck, Gold Medalists!
Click here to watch the closing awards ceremony: LINK
Here are a few quotes from a few SkillsUSA members who admit that their advisors were right when they kept on saying all weekend long, “I told you so!” We had a TON of fun!
Parker Frelin - “Seek Discomfort!”
Alexis Koelliker - “I wanted to say thank you to our advisors for all that they have done for the kids in our LCCTC Chapter. Compared to stories of what we heard from other competitors, our advisors are so involved. On our trip and all throughout the year, our advisors took us under their wings, giving us the guidance we needed so that we could experience awesome opportunities to have tons of fun and learn a lot. This week was amazing, and I hope that afterward, they all got the rest they deserved!! I appreciate all of them. Their kindness doesn’t go unnoticed. Thank you again, I admire you all:) See you in Atlanta!!
Joey Greco - “I had a lot of fun with everyone on the trip to Hershey. I met a lot of amazing people and got to spend time with friends I never see outside of school. This was one of the best times of my senior year. I can’t thank you teachers/ advisors enough for the outstanding job you all did taking care of us and having fun with us. I love you all, and I hope you all have a great time at nationals this June, making LCCTC even more proud!!
Destiny Fishel - “SkillsUSA State Competition was a place full of people who are there for the same goals and wanting to accomplish something great. It’s an experience that gets its members out of their comfort zone and shows them that there is a whole state out there filled with kids putting in the same work to not only win, but also – ultimately — to improve the world.”
Katie Bober - “It was so much fun competing and participating in the different activities they offered. My favorite part was meeting so many new friends! Everyone was so sweet to each other, and it was like one big family for all of the meals.”
Lucy Allen - “The time I spent in Hershey with everyone in SkillsUSA was so much fun! It was for sure a good time I'm going to remember. We met so many nice people and we even met the off-brand Draco Malfoy haha. Overall, it was way better than I anticipated and so much more than what I expected.”
Halie Diffenbacher - “I had a lot of fun with my friends. It was a great experience to learn from. I wanted to thank all my friends, family, and teachers for supporting me through this. Also, to Mrs. Weisenstein and Mr. Goebel thank you for making this opportunity possible for all of us. It was outstanding!”