SkillsUSA-Region I Leadership Conference and Skills Olympics

More than 900 students from Region I BOCES (Board of Cooperative Education and Services) districts encompassing Western New York and the Southern Tier, competed in the 21st annual SkillsUSA-Region I Leadership Conference and Skills Olympics, (formerly VICA--Vocational Industrial Clubs of America) held in March at Alfred State College. Competition areas ranged from extemporaneous speaking and graphic communications to heating and air conditioning to law enforcement and ground maintenance to auto service, collision repair, and brick masonry, to cake decorating and small animal care (vet assistant). Alfred State College faculty, staff, and students judged the competitions.

Competitors from the following schools attended: Genesee Valley (Batavia); Career and Technical Education Center at Belmont; Lakeshore/ Carrier Educational Center (Angola); CG May Vocational Center (Mt. Morris); Greater Southern Tier (GST) BOCES, Coopers Campus (Painted Post); EMCC (Eastern Monroe Career Center), Fairport; Edison Tech and Occupational High School (Rochester); Ellicottville CTE Center; GST BOCES Pauline Bush Campus (Elmira); Harkness Center (Cheektowaga); Hewes Educational Center (Ashville); Kenton Center (Olean); LoGuidice (Fredonia); Niagara (Sanborn); Olean CTE Center; Orleans (Medina); WD Ormsby Center (East Aurora); Potter Career and Technical Center (West Seneca); Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES (Newark); WE-MO-CO Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport); and GST BOCES, Wildwood Campus (Hornell).

The winners of this regional competition will advance to the next level of competition at the On-Center in Syracuse, where all six regions in New York State will meet to attempt to qualify for the national competition in Kansas City in June.

An awards ceremony honored (top three in order of finish):