PRESS RELEASE from Shawsheen Technical High School
Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical School District proudly celebrates the remarkable accomplishments of its students in the recent SkillsUSA District 4 competition, held on March 14, 2024.
The competition featured students from eight prominent vocational schools in the region, including Essex Tech, Nashoba Tech, and Greater Lawrence Tech, among others. With a comprehensive array of 86 occupational and leadership skill competitions, Shawsheen proudly sent a contingent of 176 students to showcase their talents and skills.
SkillsUSA Championships, a series of local (district), state, and national competitions, aim to recognize student excellence in career and technical education.
Each skill area in the District SkillsUSA competition consists of three components: a comprehensive technical exam (70% of the final score), an employability skills/professional development exam (20%), and an OSHA exam (10%), culminating the students’ final score and rank.
During a school assembly on March 25th, Karen Meister, Assistant Chapter Advisor of the Shawsheen SkillsUSA chapter, commended the dedication and hard work of the student competitors, highlighting their significant strides toward their career aspirations. Meister proudly announced that 66 Shawsheen students secured medals in the competition, including 21 gold, 27 silver, and 18 bronze medalists, with 56 of them qualifying to advance to the SkillsUSA State Competition scheduled for April.
Shawsheen students excelled across a diverse range of occupational and leadership skill areas, with victories in 30 out of the 86 categories. Noteworthy skill areas include architectural drafting, industrial motor control, culinary arts, dental assisting, and more, reflecting the school’s commitment to providing training aligned with industry needs.
“The philosophy of [SkillsUSA] Championships is to reward students for excellence, to involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and to keep training relevant to employers’ needs,” as stated on the national SkillsUSA webpage.
Shawsheen Valley Technical School is delighted with this year’s results and extends congratulations to the following SkillsUSA District Medalists:
Gold Medalists: Jake Amoroso, Alyssa Costantiello, Matthew Dall, Ronan Dewar, Addison Dunham, Corrine Foley, Nicole Hatch, Jonathan Hureau, Jasmine Johansen, Cole Kelley, Melissa Lavine, Isabella Luis, Kayla Mason, Kylie McLaughlin, Layne Miller, Roy Plewa, Kylie Plowman, Alexandra Quick, Zachary Rogers, Isaac Schmidt, and Dario Walton.
Silver Medalists: Aiden Bain, Phoebe Cameron, John Canadas, John DiPietropolo, Jayson Dube, Nicholas Gattineri, Nicholas Gerasimov, Autumn Halas, Brendan Ingersoll, Nishtha Lamsal, Hope LeDoux, Nicholas Leite, Madeline Long, Giana Manoloulis, Seamus Naughton, Allie Oliver, Anthony Pellegrino, Jayden Perez, Alaina Powell, Ralph Raymond, Samuel Sarkissian, Jason Spaniol, Shelby Tangusso, Methun Thayaaparan, Delaney Ward, Michael Ware, and Juliana Welch.
Bronze Medalists: Nolan Ally, Avery Assarian, Anna Doughty, Jason Flavin, Jackson Goldman, Maximus Hussey-Cerqueira, Joseph Jenkins, Harrison Kinsella, Ava LeDoux, Kristin Macdonald, Sydney MacPherson, Connor Marchant, Amelia Matzke, Sean Morgan, Lorraina Raposa, Tucker Robinson, Seth Ruchalski, and Megan Steeves.
About Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical School District
Established in 1965, Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical School District (SVRVTSD) stands as a beacon of educational excellence, serving the communities of Billerica, Bedford, Burlington, Tewksbury, and Wilmington. With over 1,300 students in grades 9-12, Shawsheen offers a dynamic range of over 20 vocational-technical career pathways.
Dedicated to excellence, Shawsheen integrates academics with industry-relevant equipment, athletic facilities, and numerous extracurricular activities. The school’s mission is to provide a positive learning experience in a safe environment that encourages all students to reach their full potential, emphasizes the value of a strong work ethic, and prepares them for adult life in a competitive world.
Beyond traditional academics, Shawsheen extends its educational reach through Adult Education, Afterschool Enrichment Programs, Community-focused Events, and Summer Programs, embracing the belief that education is a lifelong, continuous process leading to a successful and fulfilling life.
