HAVERHILL – Whittier Tech students were honored at the SkillsUSA Massachusetts statewide awards ceremony last month.
Held Friday, May 13, at the Best Western Trade Center in Marlborough, the 2022 SkillsUSA Massachusetts award ceremony is an annual celebration of career and technical education, and serves as a way to honor the state’s CTE champions. In total, 56 Whittier Tech students and six faculty members, along with nearly 1,000 other SkillsUSA advisors and students attended.
Typically students compete in the annual SkillsUSA Massachusetts competition during a three-day event that culminates in the awards ceremony. This year, students competed remotely during April, with district medal winners being invited to the awards ceremony on May 13. Statewide medal winners were announced at the event.
Awards were announced in more than 100 categories covering a wide range of career and technical education specialties. Bronze, silver, and gold awards were presented, some to individual students and others to school teams.
Each of Whittier’s 44 district medalists was honored at the event, as well as the following Whittier students who were announced as statewide medal winners:
• Chloe Simard and Melissa Guillaume, both seniors from Haverhill, and senior Julia Walsh from Salisbury, all studying Health Assisting, earned first place in Career Pathways Showcase Health Services for their project “Spreading the Warmth.” As part of the project, they made and donated specialty blankets to area pediatric hospitals.
• Noel Allen, a senior from Salisbury studying Culinary Arts, earned first place in Restaurant Services.
• Natalie Delano, a freshman from Bradford studying Health Assisting, earned second place for Career Choice Commentary for a five-minute speech she prepared about Health Assisting.
• Luca Moscardini, a junior from Haverhill, and Michael Garand, a junior from Newbury, both studying Engineering, earned second place in Robotics and Automation.
• Kate Velasquez, a junior from Haverhill studying Computer-Aided Drafting, placed third in 3D Visualization.
• Myles Rochon, a sophomore from Bradford studying Early Education and Care, placed third in Early Childhood Education.
• Annie Silliker, a sophomore from Newburyport studying Engineering, placed third in Principles of Technical Engineering.
At the ceremony, Whittier Tech’s chapter also was recognized with the Gold Standard Level 2 Chapter Award, and as one of 24 SkillsUSA chapters in the nation to achieve the Models of Excellence in Technical Skills status.
As part of the opening ceremony, the National Anthem was performed by Natalie Vienneau, a junior from Groveland studying Medical Assisting, who also led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Additionally, Jaidyn Craig, a junior from Haverhill studying Medical Assisting, was elected as the Massachusetts State Officer by peers from other schools across the state.
“Congratulations to all the students honored at this awards ceremony,” Superintendent Lynch said. “The competition may have looked different this year, but our students took the challenge in stride, and were successful in showcasing their many talents and representing Whittier Tech.”
National Delegates Ryan Link, a senior from Haverhill studying Advanced Manufacturing, and Craig attended the conference on behalf of the chapter. Link and Craig will represent Whittier Tech at the SkillsUSA National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia from June 20-24. Their duties include voting on the national officers.
Based on chapter and student performances, six other Whittier students will travel with advisors and teachers to the National Conference to compete against other state finalists.
