On Wednesday, October 25, 2023, Mrs. Morlock, Ms. Carter, Ms. Fresco and Mrs. Patil went to the Fall Leadership Conference at NJPSA-FEA in Monroe Twp, NJ. The following Local Chapter Officers attended, (Avantika, Lily, Anushka, Vir, Pari,) as well as our NJ Officer, Arnav. Arnav led the SkillsUSA Program of Work and Framework training sessions to other student chapter officers from schools throughout the state. Our local officers learned valuable knowledge about the Program of Work and the Framework to bring back and share with students in their chapter. The New Jersey SkillsUSA State officer team is running a statewide community service program, Adopt a Food Bank, to feed local communities in need. They have also created a SkillsUSA Merch competition where each local chapter will compete to see who sells the most merchandise. There is a new awards venue this year. The Awards Ceremony will be held at the Cure Arena in Trenton on Sunday, April 28, 2024.  A Career Fair will take place beginning at 11:00 a.m. and the Awards Ceremony will begin at 1:00 p.m. The New Jersey state office team would like each chapter to bring food to be donated to the food bank in Trenton.

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A delegation of students, instructors and advisors from New Jersey met with their elected officials in Washington, D.C. in September to talk about how their career and technical education (CTE) programs have prepared them to be college and career ready.

The four-day SkillsUSA Washington Leadership Training Institute conference provided students an opportunity to grow in their professionalism, communication and leadership skills, which they apply during their visits to Congress. Delegations talked to elected officials or their staff members about their education paths and CTE training programs, the value of career and technical education and the benefits of their SkillsUSA participation. They explained how today’s workplace requires employees with career readiness skills, and that SkillsUSA develops these skills in students of all ages and backgrounds.

The conference focused on advanced communications skills including development of a SkillsUSA Framework story to share during their visits with elected officials. This year’s conference included training for students and advisors on personal and workplace skills; a panel discussion about effective legislative visits with experts from the U.S. House of Representatives; a tour of Washington, D.C., monuments and museums; a CTE Rally; and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.

Michelle Fresco, SCVTHS SkillsUSA Advisor, Avantika Malla, local SkillsUSA Chapter President and Arnav Khanna, New Jersey SkillsUSA Officer represented Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (SCVTHS) at the conference. Ms. Fresco stated: “It was an inspirational visit to our nation’s capital where we were able to advocate for career and technical education with our State Representative. This will, no doubt, leave a lasting impression on our students.”

 

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Back To School Night

At the annual SCVTHS Back to School Night, September 19, 2023, the SCVTHS SkillsUSA Chapter promoted participation to incoming students.

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New Student Orientation

Local officers presented SkillsUSA and Chapter information to incoming students on Thursday, August 10, 2023.

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2023 National SkillsUSA Medals, June 19-23 2023 in Atlanta, GA

Gold:

• Quiz Bowl - Arnav Khanna, Alexander Zheng, Evelyn Chuo, James Saba, Rohil Singh, Krish Vyas, Vir Trivedi

 

Silver:

• Health Knowledge Bowl - Avantika Malla, Vihaan Iyer, Max Chen, Veydaant Ravi

• Medical Math - Vaishvik Vidavalapati

Bronze:

• Career Pathways, Health Sciences - Malavika Malanthara, Pranav Prayaga, Shagun Srivastava

• Community Service - Adwiti Kolli, Katelyn McConnell, Sheena Ravoori

• Promotional Bulletin Board - Raaida Naser, Srishti Kishore, Zoe Sandela

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KickOff to Atlanta!

The national competitors and advisors attended the annual kickoff to Atlanta on May 18, 2023.

The Annual Golf Classic was held on Tuesday, May 22, 2023, to raise funds for the SCVTHS  Chapter and competitors.

 64 golfers participated and numerous businesses sponsored and donated to the event.

 

President's Volunteer Service Award Recipients

Gold:

Avi Gupta

Daisy Dong

Jessy Dong

Vaanya Salwan

Silver:

Lily Boguslavsky

SkillsUSA Somerset County Local Chapter won 46 Gold medals and 17 silver medals and 24 bronze medals in the 2022-23 school year.

 

The list of SCVTHS students who received Gold Medals is as follows:

 

Gold:

• American Spirit - Kavya Shah, Sreelakshmi Isukapalli, Srujan Potturi

 

• Career Pathways, Health Sciences - Malavika Malanthara, Pranav Prayaga, Shagun Srivastava

 

• Carpentry - Will Rogus

 

• Chapter Business Procedure - Gagan Voonna, Janvi Patel, Maggie Chen, Manu Datta, Pari Malla, Sasha Kapur

 

• Collision Repair Technology - Luke Donnadio

 

• Community Service - Adwiti Kolli, Katelyn McConnell, Sheena Ravoori

 

• Criminal Justice - James Marvits

 

• Entrepreneurship - Avi Gupta, Anthony Palacios, Chaitanya Vyas, Jessy Dong

• Finished Carpentry - Vicent Puleio

 

• First Aid/CPR - Navya Gobinathan

 

• Health Knowledge Bowl - Avantika Malla, Vihaan Iyer, Max Chen, Veydaant Ravi

 

• Health Occupational Professional Portfolio - Jamie DeVera

 

• Industrial Motor Control - Joseph Di Eduardo

 

• Medical Math - Vaishvik Vidavalapati

 

• Promotional Bulletin Board - Raaida Naser, Srishti Kishore, Zoe Sandela

 

• Quiz Bowl - Arnav Khanna, Alexander Zheng, Evelyn Chuo, James Saba, Rohil Singh, Krish Vyas, Vir Trivedi

 

• Related Technical Math - Daisy Dong

 

• Restaurant Service - Mackenzie Monto

 

• Screen Printing Technology - Kayla St. Rose

 

• Team Works - Zach Hoyer - Carpenter, Tyler Lozier - Masonry, Nick Appezzato - Electrical, Shawn McPartland - Plumbing

 

• Technology Display - Shrey Mehta, Shanmuka Sadhu

 

• Welding - Daniel Carman

 

• Welding Sculpture - Nicholas Heuner

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Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School Students Win National Gold Medals 

BRIDGEWATER – At the annual SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC), held this year from June 20-25, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia, students from Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (SCVTHS) earned a total of 8 medals, including 6 gold medals.  Additionally, during the championships, two SCVTHS students were named recipients of the President's Volunteer Service Award.  Finally, the SCVTHS SkillsUSA chapter was selected to receive a gold Chapter of Distinction Award.

The list of SCVTHS students who received medals and awards is as follows:

GOLD:                                                                                                                     

• Quiz Bowl – Evelyn Chuo (Clinton), Arnav Khanna (Hillsborough), James Saba (Somerset), Rohil Singh (Hillsborough), Vir Trivedi (Hillsborough), and Alexander Zheng (Bridgewater)

SILVER: 

• Criminal Justice – James Marvits (Hillsborough)

BRONZE:

• Industrial Motor Control – Brian Opdyke (Neshanic Station)

President’s Volunteer Service Award Winners

Gold Level

• Daisy Dong (North Plainfield)
• Jessy Dong (North Plainfield)

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA (www.skillsusa.org) 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. SkillsUSA partners educators and students with business and industry to help ensure the United States has a well-prepared and skilled workforce. Nationally, SkillsUSA has the support of more than 600 companies, trade associations and labor unions.  SkillsUSA programs teach leadership, citizenship and character development to complement technical skill training. The organization emphasizes respect for the dignity of work, ethics, workmanship, scholarship and safety.

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SOMERSET COUNTY VOCATIONAL & TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WIN NATIONAL GOLD MEDALS

At the virtually held 2021 SkillsUSA National Championships, students from Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (SCVTHS) earned a total of 14 medals, including 10 Gold. In addition, four SCVTHS students were recipients of the President's Volunteer Service Award.

The list of SCVTHS students who received medals and awards is as follows:

 

GOLD:             

• Industrial Motor Control – Brian Opdyke (Neshanic Station)
• Quiz Bowl – James Saba (Somerset), Varun Punnam (Bridgewater), Rima Amin (Bridgewater), Alexander Zheng (Bridgewater) and Aarsha Shah (Bridgewater)
  • Alternates – Rohil Singh (Hillsborough) and
    Evelyn Chuo (Clinton)
• Team Works – Erik Bielanski-Ziminski (Hillsborough),
  Rocco Coppola (Branchburg), Warren Cooney (Martinsville) and Joseph Girvan (Neshanic Station)

SILVER:

• Medical Math – Rachel Yuh (Somerset)

BRONZE:

• Career Pathways Showcase: Health Sciences –
  Nabiya Chaudhry (Bridgewater), Ayesha Urrehman (Bridgewater) and Anjali Viswanathan (Somerset)

 

President’s Volunteer Service Award

Gold Level

• Aarsha Shah (Bridgewater)

Silver Level

• Charlene Cai (Bridgewater)
• Evelyn Chuo (Clinton)
• Christopher Masiello (Hillsborough)

 

Please note, the above listing omits students who have either not completed a media release form or wished to not be included.

 

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA (www.skillsusa.org) 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. SkillsUSA partners educators and students with business and industry to help ensure the United States has a well-prepared and skilled workforce. Nationally, SkillsUSA has the support of more than 600 companies, trade associations and labor unions. SkillsUSA programs teach leadership, citizenship and character development to complement technical skill training. The organization emphasizes respect for the dignity of work, ethics, workmanship, scholarship and safety.

 

For more information contact James Strickhart at (908) 526-8900, x7169 or jstrickhart@scvts.net.

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SCVTHS Students Conduct Community Service Projects for American Spirit Contest

BRIDGEWATER – As part of their American Spirit SkillsUSA project, Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School Academy for Health & Medical Sciences freshman Aarush Kumar of Hillsborough, Milan Patel of Franklin Park and Jiya Mody of Martinsville coordinated multiple community service projects.  At the end of March, the students will present the work they’ve done in the community at the New Jersey SkillsUSA Championships in the American Spirit contest.

The students’ have summarized their projects as:

Promoting Career and Technical Education

On Saturday, February 1st, the students ran a booth promoting career and technical education at their school’s open house in Bridgewater, New Jersey. Also on Monday, January 27th, those three students traveled to Manville Middle school to promote career and technical education.

Jiya Mody, Aarush Kumar, and Milan Patel have been organizing this event for many weeks.  Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School participate in an organization called SkillsUSA. One of the projects is American Spirit, where numerous people all over the country compete to win. American Spirit consists of three major projects. These are the promotion of patriotism and citizenship, community service, and career and technical education.

For the career and technical education project, the students took a trip to Manville middle school and promote the various career and technical education programs their school contains. They were accompanied by various students they recruited from the different programs at the school who were able to provide the students at the middle school with more information if they were interested in a specific program.

The students also planned and created a new booth at their school’s open house, which took place on Saturday, February 1st, which specifically promoted career and technical education by demonstrating the immense benefits of such an education and also informed the students regarding the different programs at Somerset County Vocational and Technical School and how they have helped students be successful in careers in the past.

After doing an ample amount of research on the various Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that their school has, the students were able to successfully connect with the students and answer various questions during their trip to Manville middle school as well as their school’s open house. They were also able to provide useful advice to 8th graders who were undecided about whether pursuing a CTE program or stay in their district.

Using the research, the students had gathered, the students made a presentation that they shared at their open house. First, they described what a CTE program is, then described the benefits of them. After listing the programs Somerset County Vocational and Technical School has, they asked students what type of program they were interested in and showed specific slides that gave a brief description of the program and the potential professions that graduated students have been able to achieve.

Overall, the students were able to connect with the 8th graders and give them valuable information that will help lead them to their correct path in life. This also helped in the promotion of career and technical education.

 

Rehab at River’s Edge

On Friday, January 19th, three students at Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School organized a fun afternoon for residents at the Rehab at River’s Edge.

Jiya Mody, Aarush Kumar, and Milan Patel have been working to organize the event as a part of American Spirit, which is a project requiring the completion of three projects, each promoting patriotism and citizenship, community service, and career and technical education. American Spirit is a competition in SkillsUSA, which Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School is highly involved in.

First, the students gave the residents a description of the activities they had planned. The first activity was to create vision boards of what they wanted to accomplish or what their goals were.  The students explained what vision boards were and how to make a vision board and also listed some examples of goals including doing more exercise, creating art, going on more walks, meeting new people, and making new friends.

Before the event, the students had done research which showed that when senior citizens have a strong sense of purpose, it causes them to live longer. By helping them create vision boards, the students encouraged them to find a purpose, which would then give them a better and longer quality of life. The students then distributed construction paper, magazines, glue, and craft scissors and worked with the seniors to help them create vision boards.

Next, the students played cup pong with the seniors. The seniors formed two teams and the students set up six medium sized buckets in a triangle formation on each side of the area and partially filled them with water. There were some interesting trick shots over course of the game, and it was exhilarating for the seniors to be a part of such an exciting activity.

Research has shown that playing cup pong helps seniors with their hand-eye coordination, aim, and encourages them to exercise their muscles. At the Rehab at River’s Edge, many elderly people are not very motivated to move and even this simple movement helps to keep them in shape and encourages physical activity. At the end of the game, the students also worked with some of the seniors who had trouble aiming and getting the balls in the bucket to give them tips on how to aim and the best strategies.

Overall, the event was highly beneficial for everyone involved and engaged and intrigued the seniors of the community while also promoting their well-being.

 

Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Home in Edison, New Jersey

On Saturday, January 8th, three students at Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School went to the Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Home in Edison, New Jersey.

Jiya Mody, Aarush Kumar, and Milan Patel have been working to organize the outreach event for a while. Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School is heavily involved with an organization called SkillsUSA. One of the projects which various students from across the country compete in is American Spirit. American Spirit is a project which includes the conducting of three projects each of which promotes either patriotism and citizenship, community service, or career and technical education.

For their patriotism and citizenship project, the students decided to visit a veterans’ home and play bingo as well as other games with them while also interacting with them and talking to them about their experiences serving our country.

The Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Home is a government officiated building, meant for American Veterans. The goals of the VA is to honor and serve the military veterans, their spouses, and gold star parents, by providing the highest quality of resident, directed long term care by maintaining excellence in personal treatment and services, and treatment through personal collaboration, innovation, and dedication. The home is open to veterans who were honorably discharged from U.S. war or peacetime services, the veteran’s spouse and parents of members of the military who were killed in action during a period of war.

Through the research the students did, they found out that, typically, veterans who remain socially active through activities such as bingo exhibit better health, happier lives, and have a lower risk of loneliness or depression, lower blood pressure, and stronger immune systems. Connecting with others and making friendships through such social activities also gives seniors something to look forward to.

The students were able to meaningfully connect with many veterans and thank them for their service to the community. They look forward to going back to the veterans’ memorial home soon and giving letters to the veterans thanking them for their service or just volunteering again.

 

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Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School Students Win School Record Number of National Gold Medals