Sun-Tech students headed to national Skills USA competition

Justin Strawser, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·2 min read

Apr. 14—NEW BERLIN — Six students from SUN-Area Technical School are headed to a national SkillsUSA competition in June.

Those students qualified for nationals following the 56th annual SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference at Hershey Lodge earlier this month and at Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport in March. Additionally, four students participated last week in the Technical Education Day at the state Capitol Building in Harrisburg.

SkillsUSA advisors Sarah Krebs, a math instructor, and Jamie Kotarski, a welding instructor, said they are proud of the students for their accomplishments.

"These are pretty talented kids," said Kotarski.

Representing nearly 400,000 career and technical education students and teachers, SkillsUSA chapters thrive in middle schools, high schools and college/postsecondary institutions nationwide. Its mission is accomplished through the SkillsUSA Framework of Personal Skills, Workplace Skills and Technical Skills Grounded in Academics, which is integrated into the classroom curriculum.

Approximately 2,000 students from around the state competed in 98 different competitions at the state competition. The Hershey competition took place on April 3-5 while the welding and fabrication competition took place at Penn College on March 5. Twenty-two students from SUN Area competed in the competition and 16 students placed in either first, second or third.

Only the first-place students go on to the National competition in Atlanta, Ga., on June 24-28. The six students are Justen Campbell, of Midd-West; Bryce VanSickle, of Lewisburg Area; Ryan Gavason, of Selinsgrove Area; Collin Sauers, of Selinsgrove Area; Kayden McClusky, of Shikellamy; and Brenna Ewig, of Lewisburg Area.

Campbell and VanSickle, who are in the mechatronics program, worked together to build various systems using disciplines from their field. They were judged by experts in their field on speed, efficiency, craftsmanship and safety.

"I'm excited for it," said VanSickle, 17. "I like being able to work with my hands. It's not a normal environment with just lectures and tests. It is quite a bit of theory, but it's a lot of hands-on."

It is only the second year for the mechatronics program at SUN, said VanSickle.

"It's a milestone for our program to make it this far," said VanSickle.

Ewig, 17, said she is looking forward to the competition.

"It's intimidating, but I know if I practice well enough, I will do OK," she said.

Erik Strawser, the guidance counselor, also took four students from three programs to Harrisburg on Tuesday to participate in the Technical Education Day at the state Capitol building. The students are welding students Parker Helsel and Hayden Murray, patient care technology student Reece Murray and CNA student Shakiya Stapleton.

They had an opportunity to meet with state legislators and other career-technology students from around Pennsylvania. They demonstrated their virtual welder and Stop the Bleed equipment, said Strawser.

Students also were given a tour of the capitol, he said.