Whittier Vo-Tech students brought home 10 gold, five silver and four bronze medals in the SkillsUSA District Conference last week.
"Our students did extremely well," said Whittier's SkillsUSA adviser Jennifer Teague. "Whittier students earned a majority of the gold and silver medals in the Northern District."
The gold and silver medalists will move on to statewide competition in Marlborough on April 29 through May 1, where they will demonstrate their technical skills.
For the district competition, students competed by taking a two-hour, 50-question written test specific to their vocational technical area. They also completed a 50-question employability skills test. Where necessary, a 25-question "tie breaker" safety test was given based on the OSHA General Industries Safety Training Program.
Whittier competed against six other vocational-technical schools in its district, including Greater Lawrence, Greater Lowell, Nashoba Valley, North Shore, Northeast Metro and Shawsheen Valley. The competition was held March 11 at Greater Lowell Technical High School in Tyngsboro.
Gold medalists are: Senior Chelsea Dornfeld of Groveland, Electrical; Junior Sabrina Duckworth of Lawrence, Childcare; Junior Angela Salvo of Georgetown, Cosmetology; Junior Lauren DesRoches of Haverhill, Marketing; Senior Lisa Apkarian of Lawrence, Office Technology; Sophomore Jason Gudis of Merrimac, Machine Technology; Senior Andrew Plourde of Haverhill, Electronics/Robotics; Junior Seamus Beirne of Methuen and Junior Daniel Seamen of Haverhill, Robotics and Automation Technical Team; Junior Matt Palmer of Merrimac, Masonry.
Silver medalists are: Senior Danyelle Follansbee of Salisbury, Office Technology; Senior Cassandra Pellegrino of Haverhill, Graphic Arts; Senior Allison Madore of Haverhill, Health Occupations; Senior Jeremy Remick of Ipswich, Plumbing and Senior Gabriela Peixoto of Haverhill, Childcare.
Bronze medalists are: Junior Evan Cotreau of Haverhill, Marketing; Senior Richard Langlois of Haverhill, Electrical; Senior Amy DesOrmeaux of Haverhill, Culinary Arts and Junior Jessica Goss of Haverhill, CAD Drafting.
"This is an awesome reflection on our school staff, Teague said. "We are sending the best of the best¬ into our communities' work force."
Students who receive gold and silver medals at the upcoming state conference will go on to national competition in Kansas City, Kansas on June 21 through 26.
SkillsUSA is a national organization serving high school and college students in trade and technical programs. The focus is on leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development. Students compete in 72 occupational and leadership skill areas.
