SkillsUSA-Region I Leadership Conference and Skills Olympics Winners Announced

Approximately 1,100 students from
Region I BOCES (Board of Cooperative Education and Services) districts
encompassing Western New York and the Southern Tier, competed in the 20^th
annual SkillsUSA-Region I Leadership Conference and Skills Olympics, (formerly
VICA--Vocational Industrial Clubs of America) held earlier this month 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).  New this year was
a competition in crime scene investigation (CSI).  Alfred State College
faculty, staff, and students judged the competitions.

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

• Action Skills: 
  Brittany Perry, WE-MO-CO Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport); Amber Household, EMCC (Eastern
  Monroe Career Center, Fairport); Cailyn Ballezza, CG May Vocational Center,
  (Mt. Morris);
• Advertising Design: 
  Jake Randell, EMCC (Eastern Monroe Career Center, Fairport); Kyle Contestabile,
  WE-MO-CO Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport); Lisa Houseman, Orleans
  (Medina);
• Architectural Drafting:
  Erica Elliot, LoGuidice (Fredonia); George Castaldo, Harkness Center
  (Cheektowaga); and Shannon Cook, WD Ormsby Center (East Aurora);
• Auto Body Helper: 
  Derick Salisbury, Greater Southern Tier (GST) BOCES, Coopers Campus (Painted
  Post); Colt Tortorice, Ellicottville CTE Center (Ellicottville); and Mike
  Arnold, WE-MO-CO Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport);
• Auto Service:  Darin
  Winship, Ellicottville CTE Center (Ellicottville); and Brandon Dantini,
  WE-MO-CO Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport);
• Auto Technology:  Nick
  Wheaton, Genesee Valley (Batavia); Andy Vonhagn, GST BOCES, Wildwood Campus
  (Hornell); Frank Nellist, WD Ormsby Center (East Aurora);
• Automated Manufacturing
  Technology:  James Farmer, Niagara (Sanborn); Seth Monroe, Niagara (Sanborn); Eric
  Barraclough, Niagara (Sanborn);
• Carpenter's Assistant: 
  Mike Forshee, WD Ormsby Center (East Aurora); Mike Gear, EMCC (Eastern Monroe
  Career Center, Fairport); and Jamie Stuart, GST BOCES, Wildwood Campus
  (Hornell);
• Carpentry:  Benjamin
  Seever, Orleans (Medina); Nate Palmer, GST BOCES, Wildwood Campus (Hornell);
  and Ales Spies, Kenton Center (Olean);
• Collision Repair: 
  Andrew LeBuff, Potter Career and Technical Center (West Seneca); Matthew Kemp,
  GST BOCES, Wildwood Campus (Hornell); Casey Watson, GST BOCES, Coopers Campus
  (Painted Post);
• Commercial Baking: 
  Larisa Korolchuk, WE-MO-CO Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport); Amy
  Klinger, Harkness Center (Cheektowaga); Ashlee Free, Orleans (Medina);
• Computer Maintenance Technology: 
  Chris Fedele, EMCC (Eastern Monroe Career Center, Fairport); Tyler Mills, GST
  BOCES, Wildwood Campus (Hornell); and Dilan Gilluly, Belmont;
• Cosmetology Junior: 
  Lesley Rivera, EMCC (Eastern Monroe Career Center, Fairport); Keira Durstine, Hewes Educational
  Center (Ashville); Jayna Linder, Potter Career and Technical Center (West
  Seneca);
• Cosmetology Senior: 
  Nichole Asel, Hewes Educational Center (Ashville); Brandy Cole, Greater
  Southern Tier (GST) BOCES, Coopers Campus (Painted Post); Danielle Petote EMCC
  (Eastern Monroe Career Center, Fairport);
• CPR/First Aid:  Eric
  Lawler, EMCC (Eastern Monroe Career Center, Fairport); Rob Ockenden, EMCC
  (Eastern Monroe Career Center, Fairport); Chelsea Garcia, Hewes Educational
  Center (Ashville);
• Criminal Justice:  Seth
  McClory, Ellicottville CTE Center (Ellicottville); Joshua Wolcott, GST BOCES,
  Pauline Bush Campus (Elmira); Michael LaFever, Greater Southern Tier (GST)
  BOCES, Coopers Campus (Painted Post);
• CSI:   Emily
  Bowman, GST BOCES Pauline Bush Campus (Elmira); Colton Hettington, GST BOCES
  Pauline Bush Campus (Elmira); Amber Summers, GST BOCES Pauline Bush Campus
  (Elmira);
• Culinary Arts:  Andy Montesano,
  Potter Career and Technical Center (West Seneca); Callie Benz, Niagara
  (Sanborn); Andrea Vaccaro, Harkness Center (Cheektowaga);
• Custom Painting and Graphics: 
  Brandon Boczar, Potter Career and Technical Center (West Seneca); Matt Roberts,
  WE-MO-CO Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport); Brittany Jessup, Greater
  Southern Tier (GST) BOCES, Coopers Campus (Painted Post);
• Diesel Mechanics: 
  Joshua Watkins, Orleans (Medina); Philip Panek, Orleans (Medina); Paul Grimmer, WD Ormsby Center
  (East Aurora);
• Electronics Technology: 
  Zakaria Zahran, Harkness Center (Cheektowaga); Joshua Jackson, Orleans
  (Medina); Adam Martinelli, Genesee Valley (Batavia);
• Employment Application: 
  Kayleigh Nolan, EMCC (Eastern Monroe Career Center, Fairport);Tessa Bundschuh, EMCC (Eastern
  Monroe Career Center, Fairport); Bridget Brehmn, WD Ormsby Center (East
  Aurora);
• Extemporaneous Speech: 
  Kris Theodorou, EMCC (Eastern Monroe Career Center, Fairport); Dustin Hall, Wayne-Finger Lakes
  BOCES (Newark); Jonathan Price, GST BOCES Pauline Bush Campus (Elmira);
• Food and Beverage Service: 
  Angelo Colaiacovo, LoGuidice (Fredonia); Christine Cooper, Niagara (Sanborn);
  Mike Martin, WE-MO-CO Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport);
• Food Prep Assistant: 
  Rachel LaChat, Niagara (Sanborn); Katelyn McDonald, Greater Southern Tier (GST)
  BOCES, Coopers Campus (Painted Post); Mike Stockmaster, WE-MO-CO
  Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport);
• Health Knowledge Bowl: 
  Team #5, Greater Southern Tier (GST) BOCES, Coopers Campus (Painted Post); Team
  #9, GST BOCES, Wildwood Campus (Hornell); Team #6 Niagara (Sanborn);
• Internetworking: 
  Sebastian Manunta, Harkness Center (Cheektowaga); Tim Collins, GST BOCES
  Pauline Bush Campus (Elmira); Nicholas Yatteau, WE-MO-CO Occupational-Technical
  Center (Spencerport);
• Job Demo A:  Nia
  Pullinski, Harkness Center (Cheektowaga); Loreal Prystaj, EMCC (Eastern Monroe
  Career Center, Fairport); Vivian Smith, GST BOCES Coopers Campus (Painted
  Post);
• Job Demo Open:  Joe Cutter,
  EMCC (Eastern Monroe Career Center, Fairport); Tommy Paszkiewica, Wayne-Finger Lakes
  BOCES (Newark); Stephanie Baker, GST;
• Job Interview:  Melissa
  Rivers, GST BOCES Pauline Bush Campus (Elmira); Collin Berst, Potter Career and
  Technical Center (West Seneca); Heather Moore, Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES
  (Newark);
• Masonry:  Luis Martell,
  Edison Tech and Occupational High School (Rochester); Richard Atkin, Orleans
  (Medina); Chris White, Edison Tech and Occupational High School (Rochester);
• Medical Assisting: 
  Michelle Krotje, Ellicottville CTE Center (Ellicottville); Jackie Hawley,
  Belmont; Desirae Miller, Olean CTE Center (Olean);
• Nail Technology:  Kaitlin
  Kellogg, Olean CTE Center (Olean); Anthony Palotto, WE-MO-CO
  Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport); Ashley Thomas, Lakeshore/Carrier
  Educational Center (Angola);
• Opening and Closing:  WE-MO-CO,
  Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport); Edison Tech and Occupational High
  School (Rochester);
• Precision Heavy Equipment: 
  Andrew DeLude, Ellicottville CTE Center (Ellicottville); Don Morgan, Ellicottville CTE
  Center (Ellicottville); Cody Kelly, WE-MO-CO Occupational-Technical Center
  (Spencerport);
• Precision Machining: 
  Ben Hoitink, Hewes Educational Center (Ashville); Jacob Neitz, WE-MO-CO
  Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport); Bryan Reiber, Wayne-Finger Lakes
  BOCES (Newark);
• Prepared Speech: 
  Ashley Washington, Edison Tech and Occupational High School (Rochester); Celeste Truesdale, Niagara
  (Sanborn);
• Preschool Teaching Assistant: 
  Catherine Souder, Ellicottville CTE Center (Ellicottville); Shelby Wheeler, Ellicottville CTE
  Center (Ellicottville); Danielle Ellis, GST BOCES Pauline Bush Campus (Elmira);
• Quiz Bowl:  Kyle Hall,
  Gavin Guarerra, Lindsay Murley, Kaalee Closson and Aaron Slattery, EMCC
  (Eastern Monroe Career Center, Fairport); Joey Deschambault, Chris Dupre, Kyle
  Hanlon, Max Hanlon, and Paul Jenkins, Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES (Newark); Nikki
  Muscato, Joe Ramano, Natalie Dommell, Sam Steffan, and Erin Guedesse, Kenton
  Center (Olean);
• Related Technical Math: 
  Tiffany Proctor, EMCC (Eastern Monroe Career Center, Fairport); Phillip Sutton, Orleans (Medina);
  Kalvin Conner, WE-MO-CO Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport);
• Residential Wiring: 
  Brandon Klahn, Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES (Newark); Steve Williams, WE-MO-CO
  Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport); Dylan Wicker, EMCC (Eastern Monroe
  Career Center, Fairport);
• Small Animal: 
  Stephanie Follette, Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES (Newark); Joseph Johnson,
  Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES (Newark); Emilia Lieman, LoGuidice (Fredonia);
• T-Shirt Design:  Silena
  Heine, Orleans (Medina); Jamie Forsyth, Niagara (Sanborn); Scott Lute, Greater
  Southern Tier (GST) BOCES, Coopers Campus (Painted Post);
• Technical Computer Applications: 
  Josh Conner, Lakeshore/Carrier Educational Center (Angola); Mike Crumb, WE-MO-CO
  Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport); Tabitha Hayden, Lakeshore/Carrier
  Educational Center (Angola);
• Technical Drafting:  Mike
  Paciorek, WD Ormsby Center (East Aurora); Chad Pettengill, Ellicottville CTE
  Center (Ellicottville); Darren Schmitt, WD Ormsby Center (East Aurora);
• TV Production:  AJ
  Leone and Josh Bailey, EMCC (Eastern Monroe Career Center, Fairport); Cody Ryan and Orin Stephens, GST
  BOCES, Wildwood Campus (Hornell); and Tim Lingard and James Piccarreto,
  WE-MO-CO Occupational-Technical Center (Spencerport);
• Welding:  Jordan Luce,
  Kenton Center (Olean); Donald Stoll, LoGuidice (Fredonia); Rich Sepor, Genesee
  Valley (Batavia);

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.