CV-TEC came home with 15 medals after this year’s New York State SkillsUSA Championship.More than 90 students traveled from the North Country to Syracuse last weekend to show off their skills.”When they called my name, I was sitting next to my friend,” said Gabriella Gill, who won a gold medal in the prepared speech category. “I just said, ‘Oh my gosh.’ And then I didn’t know what to do.”Student competitors are still buzzing after bringing home top honors in their specialties.”I didn’t expect us to win and go to Nationals,” said Hunter Garrand, a gold medalist in the entrepreneurship category. “So, it’s a very big achievement to me.”SkillsUSA is a national workforce development organization for students.CV-TEC students and faculty went to the New York regionals and competed against 3500 students from across the state.”We brought home five state champions, so that shows that we have talent up here in the North Country,” said Nicole Santaniello, CV-TEC’s lead SkillsUSA advisor.Students competed in a range of categories, from entrepreneurship to pin design. Some said they started preparing as early as December.Members of one team created a business plan, naming the company after their electrical teacher.”We gave a 12-minute presentation to judges,” said Damian Lannon, another gold medalist in the entrepreneurship category. “And then after they made us leave the room, then we came back in and they asked us questions on the presentation.”Advisor Santaniello said it’s important for young professionals in our region to have these opportunities.”A lot of times our students don’t necessarily get to get out there and showcase their abilities, so this gives them that platform to do so,” said Santaniello. “It just broadens students’ horizons to kind of see for they can go in their future and what they’re capable of.”Santaniello said the best part is seeing how proud the students are of themselves, whether they place or not.Nine students will be heading to the SkillsUSA nationals in June in Atlanta, Georgia.

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. —

CV-TEC came home with 15 medals after this year’s New York State SkillsUSA Championship.

More than 90 students traveled from the North Country to Syracuse last weekend to show off their skills.

“When they called my name, I was sitting next to my friend,” said Gabriella Gill, who won a gold medal in the prepared speech category. “I just said, ‘Oh my gosh.’ And then I didn’t know what to do.”

Student competitors are still buzzing after bringing home top honors in their specialties.

“I didn’t expect us to win and go to Nationals,” said Hunter Garrand, a gold medalist in the entrepreneurship category. “So, it’s a very big achievement to me.”

SkillsUSA is a national workforce development organization for students.

CV-TEC students and faculty went to the New York regionals and competed against 3500 students from across the state.

“We brought home five state champions, so that shows that we have talent up here in the North Country,” said Nicole Santaniello, CV-TEC’s lead SkillsUSA advisor.

Students competed in a range of categories, from entrepreneurship to pin design. Some said they started preparing as early as December.

Members of one team created a business plan, naming the company after their electrical teacher.

“We gave a 12-minute presentation to judges,” said Damian Lannon, another gold medalist in the entrepreneurship category. “And then after they made us leave the room, then we came back in and they asked us questions on the presentation.”

Advisor Santaniello said it’s important for young professionals in our region to have these opportunities.

“A lot of times our students don’t necessarily get to get out there and showcase their abilities, so this gives them that platform to do so,” said Santaniello. “It just broadens students’ horizons to kind of see for they can go in their future and what they’re capable of.”

Santaniello said the best part is seeing how proud the students are of themselves, whether they place or not.

Nine students will be heading to the SkillsUSA nationals in June in Atlanta, Georgia.