Danielle Rocco accomplished a Dutchess BOCES Career and Technical Institute first. The senior from Rhinebeck High School is studying to become a nursing assistant and will be representing the school at the national competition in Georgia in June after taking the top spot in that category at the SkillsUSA Statewide Competition last week.
BOCES has never had someone from the nursing assistant program make it to the SkillsUSA Championships.
Rocco was one of 26 students from CTI competing in 20 different categories at the state competition in Syracuse April 24-26. Five students, including Rocco, finished in the Top 3:
The Culinary Quiz bowl team of Johan Melchor Vasquez, Madison Orellan Ordonez (Chef Amanda Scoca) and Jordan Jiag (Chef Gabriel Ross) also took the top spot, though this competition ends at the New York state level.
Wyatt Gallagher from Richard Petschko’s Trade Electric class took third place in electrical wiring (he was one of about 60 competitors, according to Sharon Myers, a SkillsUSA adviser and work based learning coordinator). 
“I’m definitely excited, nervous and proud of myself and my teacher for teaching me everything I know,” Rocco said, adding that her SkillsUSA adviser helped her grow in SkillsUSA.
Rocco, who placed fourth in the regional competition, used the time between then and the state competition to focus on the elements previously tested.
“It is the same test and skills so I focused on those to where I got the confidence in my skills,” she said. That work took place in class and during class clinicals at a nursing home.
The state competition required her to take three written exams: one on skills, one on nursing assistants and another on anatomy and physiology. Then there were three hands-on tests: transferring a patient from a bed to a wheelchair, working on range of motion for elbow and wrist and emptying a urinary drainage bag.
Evaluators can test students on any of 53 skills during the national competition. The specifics have not yet been determined.
“I’ve been practicing all of them,” said Rocco, who joined the SkillsUSA program as a junior so she could meet new people in different trade programs, collaborate, do fundraisers and help the community and school.
“I’ve wanted to be a nurse ever since I was little. I’ve always loved helping people,” she said, adding that she did not want to be a doctor because they don’t get as personal with patients as nurses. “Nurses get to know the person, not just the diagnosis.”
When it comes to advice for today’s juniors in the program, Rocco shared that, “It will be really hard, you’ll have rough days … but remember that everything you do helps somebody no matter how small it is.”
Teacher Tracy Larson said Rocco really took the initiative to excel at the SkillsUSA competition.
“She took everything she learned in her classes and has risen to the next level,” Larson said, sharing that in addition to her classwork and volunteer work with SkillsUSA, Rocco is a volunteer EMT and invests a lot of her personal time at home practicing.
“It’s amazing (to see her make it to nationals). It tells me that we’ve done something right at school and her parents have done something right at home. She is grounded, motivated and has the inner desire to do more and represent her school, her department and to help the community,” Larson said.
Principal Nick Millas thanked all the SkillsUSA advisers and students who helped make the year successful. The chapter was recognized as a bronze level SkillsUSA Chapter of Excellence.
“I am grateful for the advisers for the work they put in to make this happen and ensuring our team is safe and the trip is well organized,” Millas said. “Each year we continue to grow and build our participation.”
“I am super proud of our students and next year we will be going for silver,” Millas said.
