Cranston Area Career and Technical Center students recently traveled to the 2019 SkillsUSA Championships, held in Louisville, Kentucky, from June 23-29.

They competed against more than 6,500 students from all over the country in a national showcase of career and technical education. According to a recent press release, the SkillsUSA Championships is the largest skill competition in the world and covers 1.4 million square feet, equivalent to 20 football fields or 25 acres.

Students were invited to the event to demonstrate their technical, workplace and personal skills in 103 hands-on competitions including robotics, automotive technology, drafting, criminal justice, aviation maintenance and public speaking. Industry leaders from 600 businesses, corporations, trade associations and unions planned and evaluated the contestants against their standards for entry-level workers.

Industry support for the SkillsUSA Championships is valued at more than $36 million in donated time, equipment, cash and material. More than 1,100 industry judges and technical committee members participated this year.

According to CACTC Director Zachary Farrell, the center had the highest number of top 10 student winners in the competition out of all of the Rhode Island participating schools, with 13 students.

A total of 1,122 gold, silver and bronze medals were presented to students.

Many winners also received industry prizes, tools of their trade or scholarships. Skill Point Certificates were awarded in 72 occupational and leadership events to students who met a predetermined threshold score in their competition, as defined by industry.

The Skill Point Certificate is a component of SkillsUSA’s assessment program for career and technical education.

Cailyn Cardente, a Cranston student who is entering her senior year in the Medical Pathways Program, was awarded the high school bronze medal in Basic Health Care Skills. A team of two students, Nerses Donoyan and Benjamin Kopsick, was awarded the High School Bronze medal in Robotics and Automation Technology, and a second team of two students, Daniel Marella and Benjamin Jackvony, was awarded the High School Bronze medal in Robotics Urban Search and Rescue.

Additionally, several students from Cranston ranked nationally beyond the top three spots.

Sofia Riccio, a student entering the 10th grade in the Aquaculture Pathways program at CACTC, placed sixth in the Action Skills category, and Jessica Sullivan, a rising senior in the Education Pathways program at CACTC, placed fourth in the Early Childhood Education competition.

“My competition for Basic Health Care Skills was an individual competition,” Cardente said. “I had a test on anatomy, then a presentation on a skill that I could choose ahead of time, and I chose range of motion. I was then given two random health care skills, measuring intake and output and taking vitals that I had to demonstrate. I was nervous going in but once I was there, I knew what I was doing, and I was confident.”

Riccio, who had just completed her freshman year, also competed individually.

“I had to pick a topic from my program and demonstrate it for the judges,” she said. “I picked airation, which is providing oxygen and setting up tubing, measuring out the connections, and looking for bubbles. I was definitely nervous going in and I had to do it twice because they had callbacks, so there was a lot of waiting for the first competition and then waiting for the callbacks to post.”

According to Ryan Ingerowski, Riccio’s competition involved the use of a live fish, which was unique as compared to many of the other competitors and competitions.

Sullivan competed individually and her competition was complex as well.

“The main part involved me creating a lesson plan and materials for it on demand with random limited materials that they had there. We had three hours to complete it and we had to present it the next day,” she said. “I also had to do a job interview as if I were applying for a job in the field, take a written test and do a book reading as if I were reading it to the students. My lesson plan was literacy-based and I used the same one I’d done at the state competition but I stepped it up a lot. They recommended that I keep the game that I presented and use it in the future, they liked it that much. The feedback they gave me was great, and this opened my eyes a lot.”

According to Ingerowski, Sullivan’s competition was rigorous and lasted all day. All three students said that they would definitely be interested in competing at Nationals again in the future.

“More than 6,500 students from every state in the nation participated in the 2019 SkillsUSA Championships,” SkillsUSA Executive Director Tim Lawrence said. “This showcase of career and technical education demonstrates our SkillsUSA partnership at its finest. Our students, instructors and industry partners work together to ensure that every student excels. This program expands learning and career opportunities for our members.”

The following Cranston students were recognized with national rankings and medals:

Bronze medals: Cailyn Cardente (Basic Health Care Skills), Nerses Donoyan and Benjamin Kopsick (Robotics and Automation Technology), Benjamin Jackvony and Daniel Marella (Robotics: Urban Search and Rescue)

Fourth place: Jessica Sullivan (Early Childhood Education), Stephen Lemme (Information Technology Services)

Sixth place: Sofia Riccio (Action Skills)

Seventh place: Jordyn Payne (Advertising Design)

Tenth place: Madison Drezek, Annissa Ferranti, Kaitlin Lewandowski and Brenna Whittaker (Health Knowledge Bowl)