BILLERICA, MA — Despite the interruption of two mid-week snow days and the short school week that resulted, Shawsheen students still competed at the Massachusetts SkillsUSA District Four Conference at Greater Lowell Technical High School on Thursday, March 15th. Shawsheen sent 197 students to compete in over 45 competitions against students from other vocational-technical schools. Competitions relate to students’ vocational-technical programs, examples of which include: Automotive Refinishing Technology; Computer Programming; Culinary Arts; Welding; Nail Care; Screen Print Technology and First Aid/CPR.
Heidi Lloyd, Shawsheeen Tech SkillsUSA Chapter Adviser and graphics communications instructor noted just how exceptional this year’s team performance at the District Conference was:
“Despite repeated weather related interruptions that totally disrupted student preparation, students were focused, prepared and ready to compete. What’s amazing is that this year’s SkillsUSA team won 20 more medals than last year and we won in competitions that we have not competed previously in”.
Students completed written examinations related to employment skills and trade knowledge based on their individual competitions. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded for each competition and for the most part the gold and silver medalists all move on to compete in the Massachusetts SkillsUSA State Conference at the end of April (for some competitions bronze medalists also move on, and in others the number of silver medalists eligible to move on is based on the ranking of scores from all of the districts across the state).
Shawsheen students had an impressive performance, taking home 25 gold medals, 23 silver medals, and 15 bronze medals for a total of 63 medals! Additionally, one Shawsheen student is a State Officer Candidate and 17 students earned perfect scores (out of 41 perfect scores total from the entire conference). Shawsheen also swept two of the competitions, earning all three medals in both Diesel Equipment Technology and Masonry.
Students moving onto the SkillsUSA State Conference will participate in hands-on competitions that require them to apply their vocational-technical knowledge on live projects that will be judged by industry-experts. Gold medalists from the State Conferences will compete against students from all states during the National SkillsUSA Conference at the end of June.
SkillsUSA is a great experience for our students and a true celebration of vocational-technical education. Reflecting the work they do in their programs at Shawsheen, students competing in SkillsUSA engage in and are assessed doing work that models the expectations they will face in their career fields, and they are surrounded by adults (judges, event organizers, advisors, etc.) who understand and value what they do.
(NOTE: The above press release and photos are from Shawsheen Tech.)
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