On Thursday, April 24, five talented will compete at the SkillsUSA New York State Championship in Syracuse!
SkillsUSA is dedicated to enhancing career and technical skills grounded in academics. This prestigious event will feature dozens of various trades and education programs, with thousands of students showcasing their expertise for a chance to advance to the national competition.
Below is a brief overview of each Falcon who will be competing:
- Angelica Diaz (grade 11), competing in restaurant service Diaz will simulate serving guests at a restaurant, demonstrating her ability to create a pleasant dining experience. Her skills will include a variety of elements, such as aesthetically folding napkins, properly holding plates and efficiently totaling a bill.
- Sean Dwyer (grade 12), competing in construction technology A passionate hands-on learner, Dwyer was encouraged by his guidance counselor to join the construction technology program, where he has excelled for three years. He is looking forward to showcasing his skills in residential carpentry by framing a shed at the SkillsUSA competition.
- Giovanni Flores-Ortega (grade 12), competing in barbering
Flores-Ortega will perform three different haircuts during the competition: a judge’s choice, a buzz cut and a creative masterpiece of his own choosing, which will include a haircut, color, design and beard.
- Delee Ford (grade 11), competing in culinary
Ford will showcase her knife skills, and upon advancing to the next round, she will prepare a full meal on an electric stovetop. Her dish will consist of sautéed chicken breast with risotto and a vegetable, and she will also prepare a salad.
- Lunesta Santacruz (grade 12), competing in baking and pastry A returning competitor, Santacruz is ready to face off against peers from across the state. She will be baking an apple galette, red pepper cheddar scones and chocolate chip cookies. Santacruz will also let her creativity flow by decorating a cake!
In 2023, Â鶹ӰÒô High alum Elijah Temple won Gold Level in the SkillsUSA New York State Championship for barbering, underscoring the mastery students can achieve through Â鶹ӰÒô High’s CTE program.
We wish our Falcons the very best this week as they represent our school and we commend their guiding teachers—Lisa Valentine, Art Erbe and Jonathan Wafer—for the excellent classroom instruction which has led to this tremendous opportunity!
Last—but certainly not least—we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who supported the various SkillsUSA fundraisers throughout the year, as well as Â鶹ӰÒô Fund for Education for providing a grant to help make this trip possible for our students!
