By Katie Miller, In the Red Staff

At the SkillsUSA competition organized through UTC, there were several Central students who competed in their own specific field that they are pursuing in the UTC program. All of these students received significant awards in this competition, and Central is proud to have these hard working and dedicated students participating in SkillsUSA. These six students were Owen Knowlton, Ethan Bean, Marissa Bryant, Laynee Cohen, Nick Kelley, and Abby Munson. Central’s principal has expressed how gratifying this experience is, not only for the students, but for our school as well. Principal Mayfield says, “All six of our students placed either 1st or 2nd in this competitive demonstration of their skills and knowledge. It is a testament to the fact that the students that attend UTC find great success in the skills they are learning and practicing. Their success speaks to the value they place on CTE (Career and Technical Education) and the dedication that students demonstrate when engaged in authentic, relevant, learning experiences.” The staff of In The Red Newsletter has interviewed a few of the members that participated, and have gathered insight on how each of their experiences went to recognize their individual successes. These interviews give a look into the hard work that goes into each of the challenges within the competitions. Congratulations to everyone who participated!

“It speaks to the determination and grit our students have and utilize in becoming the best at what they take on.” - Principal Rad Mayfield

Ethan Bean-

Ethan competed in the Welding division of the SkillsUSA competition. He was tasked with constructing four unique sculptures while utilizing his knowledge of welding and its different techniques. He was provided various resources and different procedures as instructed by the judges. Ethan says, “All in all I thought it went pretty well. I was able to complete all of my projects on time and efficiently enough to take home the silver medal. It was a very neat and challenging experience for sure. It has opened many doors and opportunities for my future. I am beyond thankful for the opportunity to take part in such a great event.” As for Ethan, all of his hard work paid off in the results of the finished product and his scoring. Ethan’s work demonstrates well that perseverance and effort are the key to success!

(Ethan making progress on his welding project.)

Abby Munson-

Abby competed in the Criminal Justice part of the SkillsUSA competition. She explains, “My task for the competition was to demonstrate my academic knowledge about criminal justice through a variety of questions ranging from case law to forensics. The competition consisted of three rounds of 40 questions, and then one last round which was the championship round consisted of 55 questions.” This demanding contest between groups puts students’ knowledge and understanding to the test. Abby expressed that the competition went especially well, her team having placed second overall. Abby tells us, “It was an amazing experience getting to represent UTC and show off everything I have learned throughout the year so far.” Abby and her team’s broad knowledge in their field can show that avid learning and determination can lead to great achievements.

(Abby and her team at the Criminal Justice Quiz Bowl.)

Laynee Cohen-

Laynee competed in the TV Production aspect of the SkillsUSA competition. Laynee’s assignment was to create a video with a partner that would advertise SkillsUSA Maine. This would give students a chance to show their creative skills in cinematography and promotional advertising. For this project, Laynee and her partner, Ethan, shot footage around the UTC campus. They used these visuals to create a 30 second promotional video focused on SkillsUSA in the building. She says, “It was a great experience! I got to meet some new people and see my friends from school succeed as well.” Laynee and Ethan placed second overall in this competition. Their work shows that dedication and creativity can result in an end product that is especially worthy to be proud of.

(Laynee and Ethan working on their advertisement project.)

Central High School