Cuesta College sent 10 of its Career Technical Education students to the California Leadership and Skills competition in San Diego and came home with 10 medals. The CTE program has been competing in SkillsUSA competitions since 2006 and this is their highest medal count in a single competition to date.
Bottom Row, L-R: Ron McDonald, Engineering Technology Automotive professor; Patrick Hickey, student; Melissa Perozzi, student; John Ellery, student; Ryan May, student; Simon Rowe, student; Faith Foster, student. Top Row, L-R: Gary Griswold, student; Kelly Flathers, student; Michael Mullen, students; Mike Fontes, Engineering Technology Welding professor; Rob Thoresen, Engineering Technology Welding professor.
On Sunday, April 7, 2013, Cuesta College was awarded the following:
Auto Service Technology – Gold: Michael Mullen, Silver: Melissa Perozzi
Collision Refinishing – Bronze: Gary Griswold
Collision Repair – Silver: Travis Livingston
Culinary Arts – Silver: Eva Saucedo
Welding Fabrication – Gold: a team consisting of Jon Ellery, Patrick Hickey and Ryan May
Welding combo – Gold: Simon Rowe, Bronze: Faith Foster
The conference was the largest in SkillsUSA California history with more than 1,700 competitors and more than 100 events. All of the gold medalists are now qualified to attend the National SkillsUSA Conference to be held in Kansas City June 24-28, 2013.
“Cuesta’s CTE Program is arguable one of the best of the best in the State,” said Engineering Technology Department Chair John Stokes. “At the national level we are top notch as well – we have had a medalist every single year on the national podium since we began in 2006.”
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce.