Greater New Bedford Vocational Technical High School students attended the SkillsUSA State Leadership & Skills Conference in Atlanta where they displayed leadership skills and what they learned in school. 

From April 27 to 29, 72 students represented Greater New Bedford in career and technical areas at the conference. This is the school’s first trip to an overnight state leadership conference since 2019. 

Two students earned gold medals at the conference.

Kylie Gagne earned one for her work in early childhood education, supported by advisors Deborah Brightman and Yasmin Flefleh-Vincent. Jenna Medeiros also earned a gold medal for her work in medical assisting, supported by advisor Laura Gomez.

Seventeen students won silver medals for their work: Jordan Young, McKenna Connell, Madeleine Kockanek, Sarah Barbosa, Angele Semedo, Kaelyn Medeiros, Ana Silva, Sophia DeAlmeida, Annalise Applebee, Ava Dragon, Jesse Petitpas, Kelsey Urel, Braden Duarte, Matthew Prezner, Austin Hooda, Kylie Lourenco, and Ronny Tino Tzoc.

Students who won bronze medals were Jacob Reimels, Noraiah Reyes Perez, Soraiah Reyes Perez, and Jordan Melo.

Melo also earned a gold medal for the Presidential Service Award, and Nia Rodrigues won a silver medal in the category.

These students were from state-wide schools majoring in various trades. For those students competing in technical areas, this is the third round in the competition process. 

These students first competed against one another in a local competition, held within the school, then performed well at a District Competition held at the school in February. 

Other Greater New Bedford students competed in the SkillsUSA leadership competitions after winning a local competition. All state gold medalists will continue on to the National Leadership and Skills Conference held in Atlanta between June 19 and 24.

In addition to numerous medals, the SkillsUSA Greater New Bedford chapter also earned the Gold Chapter of Distinction Award, a recognition of the achievement of the school’s integration of the company’s initiatives into its curriculum.