CCTI students set school record at SkillsUSA competition

Carbon Career and Technical Institute set a new school record with victories at the SkillsUSA State Competition last week, and the students are looking to carry that spirit on to the nationals.

CCTI’s SkillsUSA chapter sent 52 students to compete in 24 categories in Hershey on April 18, with 34 bringing home medals.

“This is the highest number of students that CCTI has ever sent to the state and national competitions, and it is the most medals attained by CCTI in the school’s history,” administrative director David Reinbold said.

CCTI has routinely performed well in SkillsUSA competitions, as just last year 36 students made it to the state level, and three went to the national conference.

SkillsUSA main adviser Kevin Kuehner said that his students’ incredible performances proves that they are the cream of the crop, and that CCTI’s curriculum prepares them with all the skills they need for the workforce.

“CCTI might be a small technical school in the state of Pennsylvania, but we sure did make a big impact at the SkillsUSA PA competition by bringing home 10 gold, four silver and 20 bronze medals. This is a true indication why we are the best technical school in the state,” Kuehner said.

Kuehner, along with advisers Chris Graver, Tammy Marshall and Maritza Mendez-Reinbold, has invested a significant amount of time preparing the students with an extensive after-school training regimen. Clearly, the results have paid off, and the SkillsUSA advisers are certain that their team will dominate the national stage.

The gold medalists will go on to the 54th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, from June 25 to 29.

“I’m very confident that their teachers and aides prepared them well, and they should be very successful at the national competition,” he said.