Tags: 2017, press release
This year, more Cuesta College students than ever before are eligible to participate in the SkillsUSA California 50th Annual State Leadership and Skill Conference. A total of 33 students are eligible to compete at the State level in 16 different contest areas; last year, 14 Cuesta College students qualified. On February 4, forty-two Cuesta College students competed at the regional competition held at Paso Robles High School. The students earned 38 medals*; 23 gold, 11 silver, and four bronze.
“By far, this is the most students Cuesta College has ever qualified to compete at the State level,” said John Stokes, Cuesta College’s engineering and technology division chair, who oversees the college’s SkillsUSA team. “The skill level of our students and faculty advisors is truly top notch, and we continue to prove that our programs, faculty and students are the best of the best.”
The Cuesta College State qualifiers are:
Gold - Richard Lock, Automtive Services TechnologyGold - Destini McAllen-Alcaraz, Commercial BakingGold - Matthew Perlette, Criminal JusticeGold - Vickie Carson, Culinary ArtsGold - Alexander Bissell, Digital CinemaGold - Collin Nuworsoo, Digital CinemaGold - Oziel Gutierrez, Electrical Construction WiringGold - Tom Razo, Electronics TechnologyGold - Daniel Cadwell, EntrepreneurshipGold - Lisa Cadwell, EntrepreneurshipGold - Grace Stokes, EntrepreneurshipGold - Maren Laurie, EntrepreneurshipGold - Eszenyi Castillo, First Aid/CPRGold - Chelsea Mukai, Medical TerminologyGold - Frank Wall, Mobile Electrical InstallationGold - Eryn Tsudama, Occupational Safety & Health 2Gold - Courtney Lawrie, Occupational Safety & Health 2Gold - Garret Wiley, Occupational Safety & Health 2Gold - Daniel MacFarlane, Related Technical MathGold - Michael Dye, Welding FabricationGold - Tyler Forbes, Welding FabricationGold - Robert Kohlbush, Welding FabricationGold - Fernando Castillo, Welding TIGSilver - Madeleine Ashdown, Automtive Services TechnologySilver - Mark Rincon, Electrical Construction WiringSilver - Kai Zajac, Medical TerminologySilver - Kristopher Buelas Sr., Occuptation Safety & Health 1Silver - Nathaniel Hobbs, Occuptation Safety & Health 2Silver - Robert Stone, Occuptation Safety & Health 3Silver - Ben Clark, WeldingBronze - Francisco Alvarado, Electrical Construction WiringBronze - Francesca Williams, Medical TerminologyBronze - Matt Larsen Related, Technical Math
The SkillsUSA California conference competition will take place April 20-23, 2017, in San Diego. This is the eleventh year in a row the college has qualified for the contest.
The national championships, where all State gold medalists are invited to compete, is set for June 19-23, 2017, in Louisville, KY. In June 2016, Cuesta College sent eight students to the national championships; a team comprised of Joey Grant of Atascadero, Trevor Poindexter of San Luis Obispo, and William Dexter of Half Moon Bay, brought home the gold in welding fabrication.
Alumnus Michael Mullen competed in the WorldSkills International competition in August 2015. Mullen represented the United States in auto service technology. In 2011, former Cuesta College student Daniel Lehmkuhl competed in automobile technology at WorldSkills International in London. Both are San Luis Obispo natives.
SkillsUSA teaches students the technical skills required for employment in Career Technical Educational fields, along with the soft-skills required in the workplace. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives, working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. For more information, vidit the official SkillsUSA website.
*Not all medal earners qualify to compete at the State competition.
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