This year we had seventeen students participate in the Maine SkillsUSA Championships.

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. They provide educational programs, events and competitions that support career and technical education (CTE) in the nation’s classrooms. SkillsUSA's mission is to empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. They improve the quality of America's skilled workforce through a structured program of citizenship, leadership, employability, technical and professional skills training.

The SkillsUSA Championships are competitive events showcasing the best career and technical education students in the nation. Contests begin locally and continue through the state and national levels. Judges and contest organizers from labor and management make the national event possible. The philosophy of the Championships is to reward students for excellence, to involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and to keep training relevant to employers’ needs. It not only teaches students a skill or a trade in the career field of their choosing but also the soft skills as well. There is an interview and resume process that they can take with them into college or right into the workforce after high school.

The following students participated:

Auto Tech: Manny Diggs- Wells, Benton Hayes- GNG, Will Hicks- GNG, Santiago Patenaude- South Portland and Jeremy Powers- Cape Elizabeth

Carpentry: Nolan Connolly- Portland and Max Dunalp- Falmouth

Culinary:  Ty Jordan- Deering and D'Karee Watson-Deas- Portland

Early Childhood Occupations: Sara Bernier- GNG and Dora Roy- Homeschool

Manufacturing Kyle Nelson- Deering and Logan Weymouth- South Portland

Health: River Cochran- Greely, Nick Dorler- Deering, Mariah Frank-Broad- Deering and Caroline Spencer- Falmouth

Three of our participants placed first in their competition, won a gold medal!

Nolan Connolly- Carpentry

Max Dunlap- Carpentry Knowledge