BVT Students Join Best of the Best in SkillsUSA

93 medals earned at district conference, including gold for DeWolfe

The annual series of SkillsUSA competitions is off to a strong start for Blackstone Valley Tech, where 93 students recently brought home 40 gold, 29 silver, and 24 bronze medals from the SkillsUSA Massachusetts District V Leadership Conference.
 
Often referred to as the Olympics of vocational technical education, SkillsUSA events allow Valley Tech students to compete alongside some of the state's finest students in hands-on technical exams designed and judged by industry leaders and experts. The 2016 series kicked off for Valley Tech on March 9, 2016, when Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School hosted the SkillsUSA Massachusetts District V Leadership Conference. Competing against nearly 800 vocational technical students from seven schools, Valley Tech students swept 13 categories, including Additive Manufacturing, Cabinetmaking, Carpentry, Commercial Baking, Culinary Arts, Diesel Equipment Technology, Medical Terminology (Post-Secondary), Photography, Plumbing, Restaurant Service, Robotics & Automation Tech, Technical Computer Applications, and Welding.
 
Following their strong district-level performance, seventy-nine BVT students will advance to the SKillsUSA Massachusetts State Leadership and Skills Conference Championship on April 30, 2016. Superintendent-Director Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick said that Valley Tech will once again host the state championships, in which students compete for the honor of representing the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the SkillsUSA national championships held each summer in Lousiville, KY. 
 
"Massachusetts has a proud track record as one of the country's top performing states at the SkillsUSA national championships," Fitzpatrick said. "Valley Tech students are proud to contribute to their state's storied success."
 
The following students, organized by hometown, earned gold, silver, and bronze medals at the SkillsUSA Massachusetts District V Leadership Conference. Also listed are fourth-place winners who qualified for the state championships and students nominated for the SkillsUSA Massachusetts State Executive Council.
 
Bellingham
Gold: Nicholas Connolly, Automated Manufacturing Technology; Rachel DeWolfe, Photography; Robert Lizotte, Cabinetmaking; Connor Marquez, Digital Cinema Production.
 
Bronze: Shea Boultenhouse, Restaurant Service.
 
Blackstone
Gold: Jacquelyn Marchand, First Aid/CPR; Zachary Marcus, Carpentry; Sarah Mendes, Culinary Arts.
 
Silver: Jacob Bernier, Additive Manufacturing; Brianna Dubois, Cabinetmaking; Jared Morin, Architectural Drafting; Delia O’Toole, Digital Cinema Production; Mackenzie Varieur, Medical Math.
Bronze: Daniel Gaskill, Welding; Megan Thibodeau, Technical Computer Applications.
 
Douglas
Gold: Samantha Drew (Post-Secondary & 2015 BVT Graduate), Medical Terminology; Margaret Gurney, Nurse Assisting; Matthew Dwight Keith, HVAC; Althea Smith, Digital Cinema Production.
 
Silver: Benjamin Aube, 3-D Visualization & Animation; Emma Helstrom, Digital Cinema Production; Jacob Masi, Photography.
 
Grafton
Gold: Alexandra Valoras, Additive Manufacturing.
 
Bronze: Olivia Klotz, Urban Search & Rescue.
 
Hopedale
Gold: Sophie Pigeon, Collision Repair Technology.
 
Silver: Kathleen Daly, Medical Terminology (Post-Secondary).
 
Mendon
Gold: Julie Cavanaugh, Team Works;  Jonathan Lynch, Urban Search & Rescue; Jonathan Rivernider, Internetworking.
          
Silver: Patrick Kennedy, Mobile Robotics.
                      
Bronze: Thomas Cavanaugh, Automated Manufacturing Technology; Timothy Snow, Automated Manufacturing Technology.
 
Milford
Gold: Steven Beaudrot, Telecommunications Cabling; Megan O’Donnell, Team Works; Alden Payne, Urban Search & Rescue; Cameron Pelletier, Additive Manufacturing; Megan White, Customer Service.
 
Silver: Joseph Medeiros, Plumbing; Nagelie Otero Mendez, Nail Care; Victoria Weisenhorn, Technical Computer Applications.
 
Bronze: Paul Facey, Cabinetmaking; Michael Rose, Automated Manufacturing Technology.
State Officer Candidate: Stacey Muanya.
 
Millbury
Gold: Rachelle Boudreau, Team Works; Abagale Flynn, Basic Health Care Skills; Brittney Hjort, Commercial Baking; Evan Robinson, Plumbing; Rebecca Rose, Restaurant Service.
 
Silver: Justin Duclos, 3-D Visualization & Animation; Stephen Hall, Automotive Refinishing Technology.
 
Bronze: Seamus Craig, Plumbing.
 
Millville
Silver: Bryan Desrosiers, Robotics & Automation Tech.
 
Bronze: Ryan Brite, Information Technology Service; Kenneth Tubman, Internetworking; Nicholas Turbesi, Additive Manufacturing.
 
Northbridge
Gold:  Kayleigh Poudrier, Medical Terminology; Vanessa Trapasso, Automated Manufacturing Technology.
 
Silver: Gibran Kafal, Commercial Baking.
 
Bronze: Rachel Arnold, Urban Search & Rescue; Emily Shorey, Commercial Baking.
 
4th Place (Qualify for State Championships): Casey Gosselin, Automated Manufacturing Technology; Conner Polymeros, Automated Manufacturing Technology.
 
State Officer Candidate: Hailey Baldwin.
 
Sutton
Gold: Brianna McMullan, Team Works; Marc Peladeau, Welding Sculpture.
 
Silver: Jeffrey Carroll Hebert, HVAC; Lauren Mahoney, Culinary Arts.     
 
Bronze: Tyler Dencer, Diesel Equipment Technology; Demi Keefe (2010 BVT Graduate), Medical Terminology (Post-Secondary).
 
Upton
Gold: Katie Briggs, Technical Computer Applications; Kevin Konieczny, Welding;  Bailey Martin, Diesel Equipment Technology; Alexis Sherwin, Cosmetology Under 500 hrs; Tyler Smith, Robotics & Automation Tech.
 
Silver: Taylor Nasuti, Restaurant Service; Allison Perry, Carpentry.         
          
Bronze: Christopher Coley, Culinary Arts; Catherine Kessler, Advertising Design.           
 
4th Place (Qualify for State Championships): Mike Jango, Automated Manufacturing Technology.
 
Uxbridge
Gold: Travis Butler, Medical Math; Jack Chapman, Automotive Service Technology; Connor Giles, Automated Manufacturing Technology; Christopher Lira, Robotics & Automation Tech; Meagan Villemaire (2012 BVT Graduate), Practical Nursing (Post-Secondary).
 
Silver: Steven Alger, Robotics & Automation Tech; Matthew Costello, Welding; Meaghan Remillard, Customer Service; Daniel Rice, Automotive Service Technology; Hunter Schreiber, Diesel Equipment Technology; Justin Thayer, Mobile Robotics; Joshua Trottier, Telecommunications Cabling; Bradford Vecchione, Additive Manufacturing.
 
Bronze: Olivia Brochu, Additive Manufacturing; Sara Budic, Dental Assistant; Ava Lawyer, Robotics & Automation Tech; James Lutton, Robotics & Automation Tech; Jake Piotrowski, Carpentry; Kristina Richardson, Photography.
 
Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School serves the towns of Bellingham, Blackstone, Douglas, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Northbridge, Sutton, Upton and Uxbridge. Located in the heart of the Blackstone Valley, Blackstone Valley Tech creates a positive learning community that prepares students for personal and professional success in an internationally competitive society through a fusion of vigorous vocational, technical, and academic skills. The school’s website is www.valleytech.k12.ma.us.