Dozens of high school students from across the region will represent Capital Region BOCES in the regional SkillsUSA competition taking place in mid-March.
The 2025 Area III SkillsUSA Competition will feature more than 400 students from dozens of schools testing their skills in 32 events ranging from baking to nursing, diesel engine repair and heavy equipment operation. The majority of events are taking place at the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education Center – Albany Campus on March 19; though some events are also taking place at SUNY Schenectady County Community College and the International Union of Operating Engineers training center.
Capital Region BOCES students competing said they are excited to meet new people and test themselves.
“I am looking forward to challenging myself with something I have never done before,” said Ivan Bittner, a Network Technology junior from Cohoes. “Mr. Henson realized I have the opportunity and potential to be good at speaking and encouraged me to compete. I was 50/50 at first, but I realized you miss every shot you don’t take.”
Fellow junior Alana Gauvreau said she is equally interested in challenging herself.
“SkillsUSA is fun and it gives me the opportunity to see other people and how I compare to them,” the Scotia-Glenville student enrolled in the Culinary Arts program said.
Students from nearly every Capital Region high school will be taking part in the events at both locations, hoping to advance to represent their region at the New York State SkillsUSA competition in late-April.
“I am hoping to make it to states,” said Lydia Waage, a Heavy Equipment Repair and Operation junior from Cobleskill-Richmondville said. “I am looking forward to meeting new people, and I am good at public speaking.”
Deb Toy, a social worker on the Career and Technical Education Center- Albany Campus and a SkillsUSA advisor, said the regional SkillsUSA competition is important not only because of the actual competition, but also because of the opportunities it affords students.
“This is an important competition as it reinforces the value of these skills and these jobs with the students while allowing them to interact with their peers with similar interests, as well as with business and industry partners who are acting as contest chair people and judges,” Toy said. “Our business partners tell us on a virtually daily basis that the need for students to have these skills and to prepare to fill the middle skills jobs gap has never been greater.”
Students competing in the regional competition, followed by their event and their home school district are as follows:
Albany Campus
• Dezirae Austin, Crime Scene Investigation, Scotia-Glenville
• Joseph Berube, Auto Service Technology, Cobleskill-Richmondville (CRCS)
• Ivan Bittner, Extemporaneous Speaking, Cohoes
• Landon Bova, Prepared Speech, Shenendehowa
• Ed Chase, Auto Vehicle Main. Basic, Burnt Hills – Ballston Lake (BHBL)
• Chasity Cooper, Action Skills Basic, Schenectady
• Hunter David, Welding, South Colonie
• Gwen Deichman, Crime Scene Investigation, Niskayuna
• Alana Dickson, Cosmetology Sr., Shenendehowa
• Troy Drobner, Diesel Equipment Technology, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk (RCS)
• Logan Englund, Electrical Construction Wiring, Schenectady 
• Logan Garrand, Electrical Construction Wiring, BHBL
• Alana Gauvreau, Baking & Pastry Arts, Scotia – Glenville
• Elijah Goldberg, Employment App. Basic, North Colonie
• Hunter Goss, Related Technical Math, RCS
• Christopher Graham, Auto Service Technology, Bethlehem
• Hadassah Harrell, Cosmetology Junior, BHBL
• Makayli Hurd, Job Skill Demo, Watervliet
• Hayden Hyslop, Culinary Arts, RCS
• Johnathan King, Job Skill Demo, Shenendehowa
• Emory Krongold, Job Interview, Niskayuna
• Ethan LaCross, Crime Scene Investigation 2, Shenendehowa
• Kevin LaQue II, HVAC, Scotia – Glenville
• Alexandra Leclair, Early Childhood, Guilderland
• Dicey Lewis, Prepared Speech, Cohoes
• Sarah Lynch, Nurse Assisting, Guilderland
• Danny Martin, Nurse Assisting, Shenendehowa
• Asia McFarline, Crime Scene Investigation 1, Guilderland
• Sophia Mixson, Food Prep Basic, Watervliet
• Alexis Montanez, Job Interview, Shenendehowa
• Tessla Murray, Cosmetology Junior., North Colonie
• Gabriela Myers, Early Childhood, Guilderland
• Stephanie O’Rourke, Food Prep Basic, Cohoes
• Dylan Pardo, Crime Scene Investigation 2, Shenendehowa
• Essence Parker, Culinary Arts, Schenectady
• Avery Porter, Carpenter’s Asst. Basic, South Colonie
• Johanna Radcliffe, Extemporaneous Speaking, Bethlehem
• Jacob Sawyer, Photography, Schalmont
• Spencer Schrom, Welding, Schalmont
• Allison Schulmerich, Cosmetology Senior, Niskayuna
• Ryan Sheldon, Crime Scene Investigation 2, Cohoes
• Richard Shumway, Auto Service Technology, Cohoes
• Brice Skiff, Action Skills Basic, South Colonie
• Nick Smith, Diesel Equipment Technology, Middleburgh
• Val Sonnenfroh, HVAC, Schalmont
• Lalita Start, Restaurant Service, Bethlehem
• William Teall, Related Technical Math, Shenendehowa
• Charles Tommell, Diesel Equipment Technology, Berne-Knox-Westerlo (BKW)
• Amirah Tucker, Baking & Pastry Arts, Schenectady
• Chris Urgento, Auto Service Technology, Scotia-Glenville
• AJ Wine, Auto Vehicle Main. Basic, RCS
• Isabelle Zeglan, Restaurant Service, Schenectady
Students attending the regional competition for other SkillsUSA activities, such as meetings, are:
• Brady Arnold, House of Delegates, RCS
• Kylie Bigelow, House of Delegates, Schenectady
• Justin Colindres, House of Delegates, Shenendehowa
• Dreyveon DeJesus, House of Delegates, Scotia-Glenville
• Lillian Gibelhaus, House of Delegates, Guilderland
• Elena Hymes, House of Delegates, North Colonie
• Nadia Nunn, House of Delegates, Schenectady
• Malachi Plaza, House of Delegates, BHBL
• Avery Pultorak, House of Delegates, BHBL
• Arianna Rivas, House of Delegates, Mohonasen
• Mario Sarafini, House of Delegates, Mohonasen
• Charley VanWie, House of Delegates, Bethlehem
Schoharie Campus
• Montana Garcia, Action Skills Basic, Schoharie
• Austin McGinness, Action Skills Basic, Schalmont
• Cody Vannie, Automotive Service Technology, Duanesburg
• Austin Mazza, Baking and Pastry, CRCS
• James Hitchcock, Carpentry, CRCS
• Ed Maura, Carpentry, Duanesburg
• Kadence Lawrence, Cosmetology Junior, BKW
• The team of Ayumi Shaw, Middleburgh; Wyatt Moss, Duanesburg and T.J. Caron, BKW, Crime Scene Investigation
• The team of Alexzina Merritt, Sharon Springs; McKenzie Tansey, CRCS and Riley VanDenburgh, Schalmont, Crime Scene Investigation
• Jake LeSage, Culinary Arts, CRCS
• Ryan Hungerschafer, Diesel Equipment Technology, Schalmont
• Tijay LaMalfa, Early Childhood Education, Schalmont
• Isabella Rosini, Early Childhood Education, Duanesburg
• CJ Palluti, Electrical Construction Wiring, Duanesburg
• Bryce Mensing, Electrical Construction Wiring, Duanesburg
• Emily Gwozdz, Electrical Construction Wiring, Sharon Springs
• Madeline Markson, Food Preparation Basic, BKW
• Ayden Marsh, Heavy Equipment Operations, Middleburgh
• Cody Bess, Heavy Equipment Operations, Voorheesville
• Jeffrey Mulhern, Heavy Equipment Operations, Duanesburg
• Caitlyn Engle, Job Skill Demo Open, Sharon Springs,
• Dylan Gallagher, Job Skill Demo Open, CRCS
• Lydia Waage, Prepared Speech, CRCS
• The team of Fayth Farrisi, Sharon Springs; Giavanna Robinson, Sharon Spring and Brooke’lyn Bender, CRCS, Promotional Bulletin Board
• Marley Wayman, Restaurant Service, CRCS
• Peyton Mazzariello, Welding, CRCS
• Anais Trombley, Welding, Middleburgh
Students attending the regional competition for other SkillsUSA activities, such as meetings, are:
• Joseph Nedelsky, Security Corps, Sharon Springs
• Brady Canning, Security Corps, Duanesburg
• Molly Coppolo, Security Corps, CRCS
• Dominic Castro Fletcher, Security Corps, CRCS
• Sirenity Gonzalez, Photographer, Schoharie
• Rose Mercer, Culinary Competition Cluster Helper, Middleburgh