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CCTI students compete at national, international SkillsUSA events

Carbon Career & Tech Institute ›  |  Posted on
CCTI students at skillsusa
From left to right: CCTI students Jenna Berry, Alyssa Parramore, and McKenzie DaCosta receive their gold medals on the stage at the Kentucky Expo Center during the 54th SkillsUSA National Leadership Conference.

Five Carbon Career & Technical Institute (CCTI) students earned gold medals at the 54th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference held in Louisville, Kentucky June 25-29, 2018. A total of 10 students from CCTI who placed first at the Pennsylvania State Leadership and Skills Conference moved on to compete in the national event. CCTI students Jakson Ring, Lynzi Binder, Alyssa Paramore, McKenzie DaCosta, Jenna Berry, all earned gold medals! Devin Strohl finished seventh and the team of Sean Bevilacqua, Wyatt Cassidy, and Jacob Hauser finished sixth. The weeklong event included over 6,000 competitors in over 100 events. These competitions showcased talented students from across the United States in either their specific trade skill areas or in business leadership events.

Last year’s national competition gold medal winner, Derbe Stroup, entered in a special competition this year to qualify for the 45th WorldSkills Competition that will be held in Kazan, Russia in 2019. Derbe was successful and will be in an elite group of only 21 students from across the country who will be representing Team USA in the WorldSkills Competition! Derbe will be competing as a CNC Turning Specialist.

The list of students, their competitions, and sending school districts are as follows: Lynzi Binder, Automotive Computer Estimator & Total Loss Evaluator (Lehighton ASD); Jakson Ring, CNC Technician (Palmerton ASD); Derbe Stroup, CNC Turning Specialist (Palmerton ASD); McKenzie DaCosta, Career Pathways-Health Services (Lehighton ASD); Jenna Berry, Career Pathways-Health Services (Lehighton ASD); Alyssa Parramore, Career Pathways-Health Services (Jim Thorpe ASD); Devin Strohl, Automotive Refinishing Technology (Lehighton SD); Sean Bevilacqua, Occupational Health and Safety (Jim Thorpe ASD); Wyatt Cassidy, Occupational Health and Safety (Jim Thorpe ASD); Jacob Hauser, Occupational Health and Safety (Lehighton ASD).

Special thanks to the national competitors’ instructors, Kevin Kuehner (also head advisor), Dennis Starry, Michele Dominic, and Brian Wirth, and advisors Chris Graver, Tammy Marshall, and Maritza Mendez-Reinbold.