North Valley students successful at Skills USA
North Valley Career and Technology Center (NVCTC) in Grafton was well represented at the Skills USA State Conference in Bismarck on April 3-5, with students competing in the construction trades, auto technology and health careers fields. Ten students placed in the top four in their chosen competitions, with one of those students placing first, earning a trip to nationals in Kansas City, Mo., this summer. In addition to the students’ accomplishments, a NVCTC instructor was named North Dakota Skills USA Advisor of the Year.Student awards
Ross Stewart, a construction trades student at the center and Grafton High School senior, placed first in the residential wiring competition and was awarded a certificate of excellence. He will be going on to compete at the national level. According to his instructor at NVCTC, Pete Holand, Stewart finished the competition in record time.
“Ross finished the competition so fast and did so well he was challenged by the judges to compete at the post-secondary level to see how he would do,” Holand said. “He couldn’t place at that level, but his wiring skills were comparable to the older students.”
NVCTC health careers and Grafton High School student, Kaitlyn Hannesson placed second in the Leadership Development Contest with a job skills demonstration. She placed with her demonstration of the central nervous system on the Anatomy in Clay models.
A group of seven health careers students also placed second in the Leadership Development Contest with the presentation of the opening and closing ceremonies. Laura Allensworth, Taylor Corneillie, Taylor Ensrude, Jenna Hills, Sydney Johnson, Stephanie Johnson and Alex Martin were evaluated on teamwork, appearance and professional skills as they presented the colors at the state meeting. Out of 200 possible points, they scored a total of 186, just three points below the first place finishers. All of the girls attend Grafton High School.
Aaron Nord, who is also a health careers student at NVCTC, a senior at Park River High School and a student EMT, placed third in first aid and CPR competition. He was evaluated on his ability to react positively in a simulated situation demanding first aid intervention, and his excellence and professionalism in first aid skills including dressing and bandaging, seizures and shock.
In addition to Stewart, Andrew Torkelson will also be attending the national convention this summer. Torkelson, who is a Grafton High School student as well as a student at NVCTC, was elected a state officer at the conference and will represent the state of North Dakota in Kansas City.
Skills USA Advisor of the Year
NVCTC instructor Bryan Stastny was chosen North Dakota Skills USA Advisor of the Year at the conference. He has been a Skills USA advisor and instructor at the center since 2007, teaching welding, machine tooling and emerging technology. While attending Williston State College, he competed at Skills USA from 2000-2002 at the post-secondary level and also while attending high school.
According to Mark Wagner, CTE director at NVCTC, Stastny was very deserving of the award.
“Mr. Stastny has taken on the role as the lead advisor for Skills USA and is very helpful to advisors and student members,” Wagner said. “He is very involved on the state level as he serves on the advisory committee. He is a national SKILLS certified trainer in which does training to assist his peers. He is to be commended for his work and leadership shown in this area.”
“With his continued demonstrated professional behavior, he is greatly contributing to the success of the Skills organization, welding and machine tooling programs, and North Valley Career and Technology Center,” Wagner added.