SkillsUSA National Competition 2006-2007

All 10th, 11th and 12th grade students are registered to take the SkillsUSA trade related state qualifying test which is given in February each year.  Technical high school students across the state take this test and the top twenty students (sometimes out of as many as 350) will compete in the state competition.  In order to compete in the national competition you must place first in the state competition.  We brought 31 students last year to the state competition and out of those students, eight of them went on to compete in the SkillsUSA national competition in Kansas City, MO chaperoned by Mr. Lamitie and Mr. & Mrs. Jameson.  

Manny Casillas was the only senior last year to compete in the SkillsUSA national competition.  The event he competed in was Customer Service.  He actually was a second time first place winner in the state competition and placed 11th in the nation in 05-06 and placed 8th in the nation in 2006-07.   

Tom Rafferty and Emily Borden were the two juniors that competed last year in the national competition in Carpentry and Job Skills Demonstration B respectively.  Tom had to build a small structure that tested his hands on carpentry skills using both wooden and metal studs.  Tom placed 4th in the nation.  Whereas, Emily gave a demonstration on lobster v-notching in which she placed 16th in the nation. 

Five sophomores including, Dylan Barnhill, Jennifer Rogers, Jonathan Perry, Nick Pauly and Daniel Harris, used their brain power skills to compete in the leadership competition, Quiz Bowl.  In the national competition they were able place 34th. All of the students plan to compete in the state competition again this year.  Tom, Emily and Dylan were interested in staying very involved in the club and were voted in as SkillsUSA officers.  Cierra Patrick, Skye McGinnis, Arcadia Roderick and Paul Mineau will also join them as officers.  These students choose not to designate the titles of the officers this year.  Grasso Tech looks to all seven of them to act as positive role models not only in their trades but also in academics.  Not only do each of these students plan to compete at the state level again this year but have high expectations of competing or returning to the national competition to represent Grasso Tech.

Many organizations made it possible for the above students and chaperones to attend the national competition.  These organizations, businesses and clubs include; Waterford Rotary Club, Builders Association of Eastern CT, Jackson Hewitt Tax Service of Groton, Central CT Carpenters Local Union 24, SVFT Local 4200A Union, Local 61 AFSA VTS Administrators Union, Shalett’s Cleaners of New London, Majcher Builders, Inc., Groton/Ledyard Rotary Club, B & D Autobody & Sales, Ski’s Garage, Grasso Tech Student Council, and Grasso Tech Classes of ’07, ’08 and ’09.