NEW HARTFORD/VERONA/HERKIMER — Competitors from three area BOCES earned awards and recognitions April 26-28 at this year’s SkillsUSA New York State Leadership and Skills Conference in Syracuse.

The New Hartford-based Oneida-Herkimer-Madison (OHM) BOCES’s SkillsUSA chapter attended the state conference and displayed exceptional professionalism, leadership, teamwork and technical skills while participating in several competitions. Bronze award winners included New Visions: Health Professions student Nay Linn from Whitesboro in Medical Math, and Construction Trades student Gleb Samoshuk from Clinton in Carpentry.

Criminal Justice student Brandon Neary from New Hartford was named as a recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award at the gold level of service.

As a result of their hard work and dedication, seven students from the OHM BOCES chapter of SkillsUSA will attend the national conference in Atlanta, Georgia in June. Representing the OHM BOCES SkillsUSA chapter at the national level will be Criminal Justice students Sklyer Albin from Oriskany and Gianna Spartano from Whitesboro, who were elected as New York State SkillsUSA reporter and officer at large, respectively.

Also going to the national event are the gold medal Occupational Health and Safety team of New Visions: Health Professions students Valorie Ford from Waterville, Grace Shufelt from Remsen and Ashlie Willson from Waterville. Representing OHM BOCES’ Models of Excellence: Technical Skills program will be Automotive Technology students Scarlett Barker from Clinton and Maggie O’Donnell from New Hartford.

The Verona-based Madison-Oneida BOCES SkillsUSA team brought home four medals from the state championships.

Advanced Culinary Experience seniors Lauren Barker from Hamilton, Cody Csigi from VVS and Brianna Roberts from Rome took first place in the Culinary Arts Quiz Bowl. This was the first time this event was offered in New York.

Outdoor Power Equipment senior Jacob Brooks from Morrisville-Eaton placed third in Small Engine Service. Outdoor Power Equipment senior Ethan Nagel from Hamilton placed third in Power Equipment Technology. Outdoor Power Equipment senior Andrew Litwak from VVS placed third in Motorcycle Service.

Teacher Roy Cooper and teaching assistant Christi Hanson are the advisors of the MOBOCES chapter of SkillsUSA.

Herkimer-based Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES students won three SkillsUSA state championships, and four students will be advancing to the national conference in June in Atlanta. Overall, Herkimer BOCES students placed in six of the state-level competitions.

Herkimer BOCES sent a total of 48 students to the conference, with 42 students registered in 32 contests, four student delegates and two student helpers. Rotundo Fischer, the Herkimer BOCES Cosmetology program instructor, is the Herkimer BOCES SkillsUSA co-advisor with Cosmetology teaching assistant Sarah Jacquays-Alberts.

Visual Communications Media Arts seniors Corey Wohler from Frankfort-Schuyler, Jolene Manipole from Poland and Madison Battisti from Little Falls took first place in the Promotional Bulletin Board contest. Cosmetology junior McKenzie Schuster from West Canada Valley took first place in Customer Service. Cosmetology junior Kaylee Lynch from Dolgeville took first place in Cosmetology Junior.

Wohler, Manipole and Battisti will advance to the national Promotional Bulletin Board competition and Schuster will advance to the national Customer Service competition. There isn’t a national level competition for the Cosmetology Junior competition. 

Several other Herkimer BOCES students also placed in the SkillsUSA state-level competitions.

Welding and Metal Fabrication seniors Brogan Graves from Richfield Springs, Aidan Monahan from West Canada and Robert Teel from Owen D. Young took second place in Welding Fabrication Team. 

Manipole took third place in SkillsUSA New York State Pin Design Contest, in a competition that included more than 200 entries.

Herkimer BOCES Cosmetology seniors Madison Williams and Grace Koppany, both of Frankfort-Schuyler, took third place in Nail Care. Williams did the nail care and Koppany was the model. Both members of the team received medals.