Six Dutchess BOCES’ Career and Technical students scored high during the SkillsUSA Area IV Regional Competition held at Orange-Ulster BOCES on March 13. Students from CTI’s varied programs, such as culinary and welding, participated.
Benjamin Soper won first place in the Carpenter’s Assistant category and Sean Hagerty placed second. Veronica Howard scored second place in the Carpentry category, while Alexander Ferris captured third. Annabel Bomba and Rosa Fabian each took the third place prize in the Cosmetology Senior and the Job Skill Demo Year 1 categories respectively.
Orange Ulster Career & Technical Education Director Kathleen Smith congratulated all the winners, as well as the other students who participated.
“Your dedication to your craft and your skill is impressive,” Smith said. “Some days you win medals and some days you don’t, but what’s really important is that you get up every single day and try.” Construction Trade Instructor Thomas Skean is proud of his students who won, but also of the others who showed up and worked hard. Some students are anxious about competing, but Skean tells them not to worry about winning and simply to enjoy the experience.
“They’re always apprehensive about going and competing against other schools,” Skean said. “For some students, it’s a life changing event.”
In the Carpenter’s Assistant challenge, students built a birdhouse from a set of plans, while the Carpenter’s challenge had students working on a roof rafter and laying out stair stringers and roof wall plates. Union carpenters judged their work.
“These were very specific knowledge and skill-based activities that they had to perform,” Skean said. “They brought their A-game.” 
Cosmetology Instructor Sharon Myers is proud of Bomba and considers the regional contest an excellent opportunity for students to practice their skills in anticipation of the state Leadership and Skills Championships in late April in Syracuse.
Myers, who was previously CTI’s student president of SkillsUSA and the 1984 New York State parliamentarian, praised the organization for giving students a well-rounded way of looking at what CTI offers. “Skills is a way for the ones who are very serious to know that they can take the next steps and show their talents,” Myers said.