SkillsUSA competitors from Central Kitsap High School won 13 medals at regionals, and are heading to the State competition in mid-April. The team of 2019 follows a long-standing tradition of excellence in the program, attested by the several banners from State competitions that hang in Jim Adamson’s classroom.

The medals awarded to CK students for SkillsUSA are as follows:

3D Animation–

Gold: Jamielyn Ching and Thomas Aguilar

Silver: Jessejames Aguigui and Chloe Avocato

Technical Drafting–

Gold: Peter Albrecht

Silver: Carter Largey

Related Technical Math–

Gold: Peter Albrecht

Silver: Kevin Richmond

Computer Repair–

Gold: Peter Albrecht

Engineering Design–

Gold: Peter Albrecht, Carter Largey, Thomas Aguilar

Broadcast News Production–

Gold: Alyssa Erickson, Travis Anderson, Alayna Kisiday, Isriel Rojo

Computer Programing–

Gold: Madeline Woehrman

SkillsUSA is a program that aims to prepare students for successful careers in STEM, and acknowledges their achievements by awarding individuals and teams medals or banners at competitions. The mission statement of SkillsUSA is to “empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. SkillsUSA improves the quality of our nation’s future skilled workforce through the development of Framework skills that include personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics.”   More information about elements of the national program can be found at https://www.skillsusa.org/about/.

There are three overarching categories of competitions: Technical Science Contests, Leadership Development Contests, and Occupational Related Contests. Within those categories are more specific categories such as Technical Drafting, 3D printing, Computer Repair and Computer Programming. CKHS junior Madeline Woehrman was the only student competing in Computer Programming for the Olympic region, which she said surprised her. Woehrman received a gold medal in her category, and looks forward to competing at State for the first time.

Besides her individual competition in Computer Programming, Woehrman was enthusiastic about her team’s performance in Quiz Bowl, a competition beloved by many SkillsUSA members. Quiz Bowl involves teams of five; these teams tested on their academic knowledge of SkillsUSA Essential Knowledge and current events. Incorrect answers cost points, while correct answers win the team points, so communication and teamwork are vital. “When you compete for quiz bowl there’s a lot of adrenaline, and you worry about getting the right answer when you push the button,” said club President Jamielyn Ching. CKHS sent two teams into the Quiz Bowl competitions, and earned gold and silver medals.

The SkillsUSA team anticipates that State competition will be “competitive, rewarding and fun,” in the words of club Treasurer, Carter Largey. He went on to explain how competitions at state require more responsibility and time management, because students are responsible for arriving at various buildings for their competitions at the right time. Any anxiety over competition performance and time constraints is released in a fun way at the end of the event, however, during a celebratory dance. Many SkillsUSA members remembered the dance as one of the highlights of their trip to State last year.

SkillsUSA is hoping for some new members next year to join the team. The club meets afterschool on Thursdays in the computer lab, and is proud to be run fairly independently. Students interested in participating in SkillUSA next year, who have registered for a computer or robotics related CTE course, are encouraged to connect with current members. Current club leaders are: Jamielyn Ching [email protected] (President), Peter Albrecht [email protected] (Vice President), Chloe Avocato [email protected] (Secretary), Carter Largey [email protected] (Treasurer), or Thomas [email protected]  (Sergeant of Arms).