{"id":81726,"date":"2026-01-08T22:01:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T22:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/81726\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T22:01:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T22:01:15","slug":"northeastern-pennsylvania-ctc-students-square-off-in-skills-contest-at-lccc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/81726\/","title":{"rendered":"Northeastern Pennsylvania CTC students square-off in skills contest at LCCC"},"content":{"rendered":"

NANTICOKE \u2014 The Winter Olympics in Northeastern Italy are still a month away, but the \u201cOlympics of the Trades\u201d have already come to Northeastern Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

SkillsUSA, a nationwide workforce-development organization, held its Pennsylvania District 1 competition at Luzerne County Community College on Thursday. Around 250 students hailing from 10 high schools and career and technical programs descended on the LCCC main campus to brandish their skills in 37 trade and technical-based challenges.<\/p>\n

Tom Czachor, a member of the SkillsUSA Board of Directors and a cybersecurity teacher at the Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County, said the competition highlighted the breadth of the skills students have an opportunity to learn at vocational programs.<\/p>\n

\"HazletonHazleton Area Career Center student Zachary Niznek works in the machine shop during the District 1 SkillsUSA Regional Competition held at Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke Thursday, January 8, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)<\/p>\n

Among the many disciplines tested Thursday were those in advertising design; automotive maintenance; baking and culinary arts; cosmetology; criminal justice and crime scene investigation; early childhood education; electrical construction; health and medicine; and welding. Competitions were held across the LCCC campus and nearby sites.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt used to be carpentry and cars,\u201d Czachor said. \u201cNow, you name it, we probably do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

LCCC President John Yudichak said the day\u2019s event complemented the college\u2019s commitment to vocational education amidst a great statewide need for more workers in the trade. He noted that LCCC last year received a $1 million state grant to launch its Career & Technology Academy. Success at the SkillsUSA can often lead to scholarship opportunities, organizers said.<\/p>\n

\"LackawannaLackawanna Trail and Susquehanna County Career & Technology Center student Caley Ryan works on a vehicle during the District 1 SkillsUSA Regional Competition held at Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke Thursday, January 8, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe business and industries of Northeastern Pennsylvania need you,\u201d Yudichak said to competitors during his opening remarks. \u201cAll of you are building something very important \u2013 confidence in yourself and a brighter economic future for Pennsylvania.\u201d<\/p>\n

Students were enthusiastic to put that wide-range of skills on display.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really hoping to impress some of my teachers back at CTC,\u201d said Isaac Quiros, a Lackawanna County CTC student. \u201c(My teacher) kind of \u2018volun-told\u2019 me to go into the automotive-service technology (contest), because I thrive really well in the technology field.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"DelawareDelaware Valley student Shawn Havens works on an engine during the District 1 SkillsUSA Regional Competition held at Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke Thursday, January 8, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)<\/p>\n

Semper Kurtonic, a 17-year-old Peckville resident, was competing in an automotive-maintenance competition. He both works as a technician and is also a student at Lackawanna County CTC.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a full-time technician in the real world, I would like to put my knowledge and my real-life work experience to the test, to see just how good I am compared to how other people from technical schools do,\u201d Kurtonic said.<\/p>\n

Sydney Martin, an 18-year-old Hanover Twp. resident and student at the Wilkes-Barre Career & Technical Center, participated in the medical-terminology competition. She said she was proud to represent her school at the regionwide competition.<\/p>\n

\"WestWest Side Career and Technology Center student Amelia Teasdale prepares to cut a piece of metal during the District 1 SkillsUSA Regional Competition held at Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke Thursday, January 8, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a really great opportunity, because I know there\u2019s only a few people that get to go and are picked\u2026it feels like a lot of pressure sometimes, but it feels really good nonetheless,\u201d Martin said. \u201cIt makes me feel a lot better and more confident going into the nursing field.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really an honor to be competing here,\u201d said Marianny Fabian, a 17-year-old Hazleton resident and student at the Hazleton Area Career Center. \u201cIt was a little bit scary at first, but after you\u2019re here, it goes so quick.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most students took pride in being able to represent their schools at the regional tournament.<\/p>\n

\"WestWest Side Career and Technology Center student James King cuts a piece of metal during the District 1 SkillsUSA Regional Competition held at Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke Thursday, January 8, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)<\/p>\n

\u201cMy family, we\u2019ve lived in Carbon County for quite a while,\u201d\u00a0 said Chris Garey, an 18-year-old student at Carbon Career & Technical Institute competing in automotive maintenance. \u201cWe have a great school that we go to\u2026and I hope I can keep the legacy going.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hannah Stanavage, a 16-year-old Hazleton resident and Hazleton Area student participating in the Health Knowledge bowl, said she was excited to exchange ideas with her classmates and peers across Northeastern Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was asked if I could compete and I said \u2018of course\u2019 because I love coming and helping out and I\u2019m having a lot of fun,\u201d Stanavage said. \u201cIt helps showcase what we know and then we can learn from others as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"CarbonCarbon Career and Technical Institute student Lucas Miller diagnoses a series of parallel circuits in the automotive department during the District 1 SkillsUSA Regional Competition held at Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke Thursday, January 8, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though you\u2019re competing, you get to learn from other students\u2019 knowledge,\u201d added 16-year-old Keiry Mendoza, another Hazleton Area student in the Health Knowledge Bowl.<\/p>\n

Some at the challenges compared it to sports storied tournaments. Dean Gouldthorpe, a 17-year-old student at Delaware Valley High School and wrestler, was participating in a plumbing competition.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just really lets me show\u2026 I know what I know, I\u2019m able to perform under pressure,\u201d Gouldthorpe said.<\/p>\n

The tournament also allowed students to display strengths that may not be readily apparent in their day-to-day school work.<\/p>\n

Michael Hillier, an 18-year-old Dimock resident who attends the Susquehanna County Career & Technology Center for carpentry, was participating in the extemporaneous-speaking contest \u2013 a challenge in which students had a few minutes to prepare a speech based on a key word. With ambitions of becoming a defense attorney, Hillier said he was excited to compete with his classmates.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis means a lot to me and it means a lot to showcase my ability to articulate my words and prove to other people that I\u2019m more than just a carpenter,\u201d Hillier said. \u201cSo, being able to have a competition that speaks to my strengths really means a lot to me, personally.\u201d<\/p>\n

The gold-medal winners at the district competition will advance in April to the SkillsUSA Pennsylvania state competition in Hershey. The state champions will in turn advance in June to the SkillsUSA national competition in Atlanta.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NANTICOKE \u2014 The Winter Olympics in Northeastern Italy are still a month away, but the \u201cOlympics of the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":81727,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[227,182,803,41220,139,28,30,29,802],"class_list":{"0":"post-81726","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-pennsylvania","8":"tag-education","9":"tag-local-news","10":"tag-luzerne-county","11":"tag-nanticoke","12":"tag-news","13":"tag-pennsylvania","14":"tag-pennsylvania-headlines","15":"tag-pennsylvania-news","16":"tag-top-stories-cvc"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81726","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81726"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81726\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81726"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81726"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81726"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}