Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School Students Win National Medals

Students from Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (SCVTHS) attended the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference held June 1-5 in Atlanta, Georgia. SkillsUSA is a not-for-profit association that serves more than 300,000 middle school, high school, college and postsecondary students — and their instructors — in trade, technical, and skilled service instructional programs. The organization, supported by more than 850 companies, trade associations and labor unions, emphasizes respect for the dignity of work, professional ethics, workmanship, scholarship, and safety.

Over 6,800 students, each a state champion from around the country, competed in Championship-level events that covered skilled and technical sciences, leadership development, and occupation related skills.

New Jersey sent 181 competitors to the event, and the State Team had one of their best showings ever, finishing 10th in the nation by earning 46 medals. Of those, SCVTHS students earned 23 medals, including thirteen gold medals, seven silver medals, and three bronze medals. In addition, two students finished in the top five in their events. Eighteen of the SCVTHS competitors also earned SkillsUSA Skill Point Certificates. These prestigious, industry-backed awards are presented to National competitors who have reached or exceeded a rigorous, industry-defined level of workplace readiness. The New Jersey team earned a total of 115 certificates.

The SCVTHS students who received medals and placed in the top five are:

GOLD
o Chapter Business Procedure: Bhumija Grandhe (Bridgewater), Trisha Iyer (Somerville), Samanvi Mokkarala (Bridgewater), Guru Puduru (Bridgewater), Varnika Pujari (Warren), Vaibhav Vujjini (Hillsborough)
o Quiz Bowl: Lily Boguslavsky (Bridgewater), Akshaj Kalepalli (Bridgewater), Pari Malla (Branchburg), Abhay Naidu (Bridgewater), Aarav Patel (Hillsborough), Tanvi Patel (Warren), Daniel Yuh (Somerset) 

SILVER
o Health Knowledge Bowl: Siyaa Choudhary (Somerset), Vihaan Iyer (Hillsborough), Saanvi Samant (Hillsborough), Bhuvi Govardhanan Sudhakar (Warren)
o Occupational Health & Safety – Single: Shreya Patro (Branchburg), Kushi Rao (Hillsborough), Saanvi Trivedi (Hillsborough)

BRONZE

o Emergency Medical Technician: Sanjana Chiluka (Hillsborough), Aarika Patel (Skillman)
o Medical Math: Charlotte McLaughlin (Warren)

TOP FIVE FINISHERS
o Job Skill Demonstration – Open (4 th Place): Treesa Joby (Hillsborough)
o Criminal Justice (5 th Place): Aiden Yoder (Hillsborough)

Photo: (l-r) The National Gold Medal winning SkillsUSA Chapter Business Procedure team from SCVTHS: Bhumija Grandhe (Bridgewater), Trisha Iyer (Somerville), Samanvi Mokkarala (Bridgewater), Guru Puduru (Bridgewater), Varnika Pujari (Warren), (Vaibhav Vujjini (Hillsborough)

Photo: (l-r) Members of the 2026 National Gold Medal winning SkillsUSA Quiz Bowl team from SCVTHS: Akshaj Kalepalli (Bridgewater), Abhay Naidu (Bridgewater), Aarav Patel (Hillsborough), Pari Malla (Branchburg),Tanvi Patel (Warren), Daniel Yuh (Somerset)

Photo: (l-r) The 2026 SkillsUSA National Silver Medal Health Knowledge Bowl team from SCVTHS: Siyaa Choudhary (Somerset), Vihaan Iyer (Hillsborough), Saanvi Samant (Hillsborough), Bhuvi Govardhanan Sudhakar (Warren)

Photo: Saanvi Trivedi (l) of Hillsborough, a student at SCVTHS and part of the 2026 SkillsUSA National Silver Medal team in Occupational Health and Safety, with Chelle Travis (r), Executive Director of SkillsUSA

Charlotte McLoughlin of Warren, a student at SCVTHS, is the 2026 SkillsUSA National Bronze Medalist in Medical Math.

The 2026 SkillsUSA National Bronze Medalists in the Emergency Medical Technician competition, Sanjana Chiluka (Hillsborough) and Aarika Patel (Skillman)