Eighteen students from Nassau BOCES Barry Tech, GC Tech and Long Island High School for the Arts, took top honors at the New York State SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Championships held in Syracuse earlier this spring.
Students participate in a series of timed events related to their courses of study at Nassau BOCES, as well as in competitions in leadership and professional development. Seven students took first place, three came in second place and eight took third place in their respective competitions. Below is the list of students, the competition name, Nassau BOCES school/program and school district.
First place
Alex Baires – Interactive Application & Video Game Development
Nassau BOCES Barry Tech, Computer Game Design & Programming II
Syosset CSD
Vincent Collazo – Hydronic Heating
Nassau BOCES GC Tech, HVAC
East Meadow UFSD
Anthony Grivas – Interactive Application & Video Game Development
Nassau BOCES Barry Tech, Computer Game Design & Programming II
Glen Cove City SD
Janice Lee – Photography
Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts, Visual Arts
Syosset CSD
Henry Mahnken – Carpentry
Nassau BOCES Barry Tech, Carpentry II
North Shore CSD
Charlie Rudes – 3D Visualization and Animation
Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts, Video Production
Half Hollow Hills CSD
Anthony Tanazzo – 3D Visualization and Animation
Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts, Video Production
Levittown UFSD
Second Place
Samantha DeFalco – Banner Design
Nassau BOCES Barry Tech, Animation & Digital Media II
Valley Stream CHSD
Nicholas Garcia – Banner Design
Nassau BOCES Barry Tech, Animation & Digital Media II
Glen Cove City SD
Victoria Senior – Pin Design
Nassau BOCES Barry Tech, Animation & Digital Media II
Hicksville UFSD
Third Place
Hyunjun Chang – Crime Scene Investigation
Nassau BOCES Barry Tech, Criminal Justice II
Great Neck UFSD
Alex Crane – Chapter Display
Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts, Visual Arts
Half Hollow Hills CSD
Tab Freeney – Chapter Display
Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts, Visual Arts
Long Beach City SD
Molly Gorelick – Chapter Display
Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts, Visual Arts
Half Hollow Hills CSD
Navpreet Kaur – Crime Scene Investigation
Nassau BOCES Barry Tech, Criminal Justice II
Valley Stream CHSD
Aeres Moran – Digital Cinema Production
Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts, Multimedia, Film & TV
Levittown UFSD
Manveer Sahansra – Crime Scene Investigation
Nassau BOCES Barry Tech, Criminal Justice II
Hicksville UFSD
Riley Wood – Digital Cinema Production
Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts, Multimedia, Film & TV
Wantagh UFSD
Considerable effort goes into qualifying for the annual SkillsUSA competition. These students have a double workload, not only completing their CTE assignments, but also satisfying full courses of study at their home schools. Add to that the intensive training that it takes to earn the privilege of competing in SkillsUSA, and it becomes clear how tirelessly these students work.
The competition is part of SkillsUSA’s mission to provide our country with a competitive, skilled workforce. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry leaders working together to prepare high school and college students to become leaders in the business world. The program helps establish industry standards for job-skill training and instills a respect for community service in its participants. The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes SkillsUSA as a “successful model of an employer-driven youth development program.”
Henry Mahnken from the Nassau BOCES Barry Tech Carpentry II class and the North Shore CSD, took first place in the Carpentry Category at the SkillsUSA States Competition.
Nassau BOCES GC Tech HVAC student Vincent Collazo, East Meadow UFSD, took first place in the SkillsUSA State Hydronic Heating Competition and celebrates with his Teacher John Castro.
First Place winners, Alex Baires (left), from Syosset CSD, and Anthony Grivas (right), from Glen Cove City School District, are enrolled in the Interactive Application & Video Game Development program at Nassau BOCES Barry Tech, took first place in the Interactive Application & Video Game Development category at the SkillsUSA States Competition.
More to Explore
This year, thanks to the incredible generosity of our staff, students, and partners, Compassion in Action provided direct support to hundreds of Nassau BOCES students and families.
Nassau BOCES has received a generous $2,500 grant from Adventureland’s Helping Hands Foundation in support of the agency’s Compassion in Action program.
Thirteen students took the next major step in their professional lives by committing to jobs in their chosen Career and Technical Education fields of study, a military career or secondary education in their chosen field.
Seaman Neck Middle School and Children’s Readiness Center spent the day taking part in team-building games, planting trees and went on a nature hike scavenger hunt!