Above, Paso Robles High School SkillsUSA students pictured at the 2009 state competition held in Fresno. SkillsUSA students will compete once again at the state level this April. Courtesy photo.

Students taking elective courses in the Applied Technology Academy participate in the National Student Organization “SkillsUSA.”

This year, as in the past six years, students registered to compete in regional, state and national competitions.

Students start at the regional competition. Upon placing as gold medallists in regionals, they are allowed to advance to the state competition and then to nationals.

During 2010, 79 students registered and have been preparing for the regional competition in their Career Technical Education [CTE] courses at PRHS. Many of these courses are funded by the Santa Lucia Regional Occupation Program [ROP]. Several SLO County high schools have ROP. However, PRHS has many different programs from which students may choose a career path. Students compete in these career training courses for SkillsUSA.

A SkillsUSA representative said they are proud of the students competing, as 75 percent of the students won Gold Medals this past week in the regional competition.

Students enrolled in graphic design, automotive technology, building trades technology, welding, culinary arts, computer technology, health occupations, preschool teaching, video production and Web design courses competed. The students entered 30 different competitions all related to the aforementioned ROP courses.



The following competitors won gold medals:



* Reilly Newman – Advertising Design

* Ricardo Guerrero, Cody Krijakin – Cabinetmaking

* Kris Pequeno – Carpentry

* Megan Boswell, Natalie Farelas – CPR/first-aid

* Luis Aquiano, Edgar Banderas, Colin Koman, Craig Deweese – Teamworks

* Landon Sudberry, Fracesca Falcone – Arc welding

* Jacob Golightly, Daniel Joulifaian, Sarah Schuerfeld – Culinary arts

* Chansley Adams, Sarah Bois, Marrisa Sanchez, Shandi Wicks – Commercial baking

* Thomas Van - Criminal justice

* Kevin Hahn – Computer maintenance

* Connor Kingman - Computer programming

* Grace Stokes – Creed

* Mark Jackson, Jake Richardson – Diesel maintenance

* Karlee Jewell – Health care skills

* Alexa Gomez – Job interview

* Donny Achterberg, Brent Savage – Mobile electronics

* Mariah Medina – Nurse assistant

* Austin Brown Sliva, Seaira Dougherty – Power equipment

* Clay Avila, Coltin Headly, Brett Lively, Andrew Rowe, Davey Mills – plumbing

* Alyssa Allen, Lilian Alvarez, Bailey Baker, Maritza Birrueta, Angee Calbria, Aya Elsayed, Justine Hascall, Maria Manzo, Mariah Olquin – Preschool teaching

* Leslie Merkle, Veronica Shaeffer – Prepared speech

* Christian Akin, Alan Blevins, Derek Dansereau, Greg Dansereau, Taylor Rose – Residential wiring

* Michael Pahler, Brittany Taylor – Video production

* Nick Hopper, Michael Ojeda – Web design

* Cameron Munroe – Internetworking

* Kent Larsen – Motorcycle technology

* Chase Phillips – Woodworking

The students are training with their CTE teachers. Nine of the Applied Technology Academy teachers have worked with the students to prepare for the contests.

Now, the same teachers will prepare their students for the California State Leadership & Skills Conference, April 8 through 11 in San Diego.

According to SkillsUSA chapter advisor Randy Canaday, the PRHS team has progressed and performed well at the state level in the past three to four years. The school typically has the highest number of students from a single high school in California at the national competition, he said.

Three staff from PRHS including Phil Riccomini, head various contests at the state competition, where students will be challenged in the culinary arts, commercial baking and beverage service.

Over the last four years, PRHS SkillsUSA has received a silver and gold medal in plumbing, a gold medal in commercial baking and bronze medal in the culinary arts, along with a bronze medal in first-aid in CPR.

“We’ve placed well,” Canaday said. “I think that we have some really high quality kids this year,” and every PRHS group has performed well, he said.

According to Canaday, a big emphasis this year is that the kids are in the Applied Technology program that could take a big hit with the current budget scenario.

“Vocational education is not necessarily on the top of the list,” Canaday said, “And so therefore after all of the reading, writing and arithmetic, special education, P.E., what’s left over is what we get, time-wise.”

An estimated 60 percent of PRHS SkillsUSA graduates are going to walk off campus and go to work.

Local businesses have financially supported SkillsUSA for the past six years. Anyone interested in assisting should contact Randy Canaday, at rcanaday@pasoschools.org or 237-3315, ext. 5602.



For the complete article see the 03-02-2010 issue.

Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 03-02-2010 paper.

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