SkillsUSA competitors win 21 medals, including 11 gold

Male student wearing a hard hat and a tool belt uses a power saw to cut a piece of wood during SkillsUSA competition

An LCTI student competes in the Carpentry contest on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at the SkillsUSA Council District 11 Championships in Allentown.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Sub-zero temperatures Wednesday (Jan. 22, 2025) led to a delayed start for the SkillsUSA Council District 11 Championships. Still, LCTI’s students wasted no time turning up the heat on their competitors.

They notched 21 medals with technical prowess that impressed judges and wowed spectators who turned out for the 39th annual event. Gold medalists, including 11 from Lehigh Career & Technical Institute, qualified to compete this spring at the SkillsUSA state competition in Hershey.

The championships drew hundreds of participants from seven schools across five counties to the Allentown Fairgrounds Agri-Plex. They competed in individual and team contests of skill ranging from advertising design to welding. Dozens of Lehigh Valley businesses sponsor the competition, which provides opportunities for students to apply what they’ve learned in challenging scenarios that mimic the demands of a 21st-century workplace.

The medalists for each SkillsUSA contest were announced Wednesday evening during a ceremony at Parkland High School. LCTI’s top-three finishers are:

William Allen High School

3rd place: Alondra Contreras De Las Cruz, Health Knowledge Bowl – Team
Health & Medical Sciences

2nd place: Elaysha Encarnacion, Nurse Assisting
Health & Medical Sciences

1st place: Anthony Farannte, Carpentry
Carpentry

2nd place: Travis Miller, TeamWorks – Team
Masonry

3rd place: Erick Montesdeoca, Automotive Service Technology
Auto Technology

Louis E. Dieruff High School

1st place: Julianna Flores, Crime Scene Investigation – Team
Criminal Justice

Catasauqua High School

3rd place: David Janoski, Mechatronics – Team
Automated Industrial Technology

3rd place: Chase Merchant, Mechatronics – Team
Automated Industrial Technology

Emmaus High School

2nd place: Nesly Alacron, Culinary Arts
Culinary Arts

1st place: Brynn Clark, Cosmetology
Cosmetology

2nd place: Austin Derr, Electrical Construction Wiring
Electrical Technology

1st place: Jose Figueroa, Automotive Refinishing Technology
Auto Collision Repair Technology

1st place: Brooklyn Hause, Early Childhood Education
Early Childhood Education

1st place: James Leap, Crime Scene Investigation – Team
Criminal Justice

2nd place: Isabella Marrucca-Kodis, First Aid/CPR
Health & Medical Sciences

2nd place: Zachary O’Steen, Criminal Justice – Team
Criminal Justice

Home School

1st place: Malachi Martin, Automated Manufacturing – Team
Pre-Engineering & Engineering Technology

Northern Lehigh High School

1st place: Jonathan Erkinger, Power Equipment Technology
Small Engines/ Recreational Vehicle Repair

2nd place: Gage Simpson, TeamWorks – Team
Carpentry

1st place: Gage Tessitore, Electronics Technology
Electronics Technology

2nd place: Seth Winch, Mechatronics – Team
Automated Industrial Technology

Northwestern Lehigh High School

2nd place: Logan Baugher, Welding
Welding Technology

1st place: Jasper Delong, Automated Manufacturing – Team
Precision Machine Tool Technology

2nd place: Joshua Earles, Mechatronics – Team
Automated Industrial Technology

1st place: Owen Rex, Welding
Welding Technology

2nd place: Caden Scheirer, Graphic Communications
Print Technology/Graphic Imaging

2nd place: Rachel Wade, Basic Health Care
Health & Medical Sciences

1st place: Cody Utt, Automated Manufacturing – Team
Precision Machine Tool Technology

Parkland High School

3rd place: Rashelly Balcazar Camilo, Health Knowledge Bowl – Team
Health & Medical Sciences

2nd place: Milo Ilchuk, Collision Repair Technology
Auto Collision Repair Technology

2nd place: Connor Keich, CNC 2-Axis turning Programmer
Precision Machine Tool Technology

2nd place: Michael Kurtz, TeamWorks – Team
Electrical Technology

1st place: Robert Lanyon, Diesel Equipment Technology
Diesel Medium & Heavy Truck Technology

3rd place: Nadia-Renae Lawrence, Health Knowledge Bowl – Team
Health & Medical Sciences

3rd place: Isabella Quintero, Early Childhood Education
Early Childhood Education

3rd place: Andrea Smith, Health Knowledge Bowl – Team
Health & Medical Sciences

1st place: Clay Soares, Restaurant Service
Culinary Arts

2nd place: Ryan Steckel, Precision Machining
Precision Machine Tool Technology

3rd place: Julius Vasquez, Plumbing
Plumbing & Heating

2nd place: Levell Warmkessel, TeamWorks – Team
Plumbing & Heating

Southern Lehigh High School

1st place: Shayla Woodlief-Beard, Crime Scene Investigation – Team
Criminal Justice

Whitehall High School

3rd place: Nisreen Al-Bajali, Nail Care – Team
Cosmetology

3rd place: Dallas Dohanish, CNC Programmer
Precision Machine Tool Technology

2nd place: Jacob Figueroa, Plumbing
Plumbing & Heating

3rd place: Nylah Hicks, Nail Care – Team (Model)
Cosmetology

3rd place: Cole Vernon, Building Construction
Building Trades

Last year, District 11 sent 96 students to states and 50 of them brought home medals. Fifteen of those medalists competed for a national championship and three of them succeeded. LCTI’s Brayden Arnold was among the three; he won gold for Motorcycle Service Technology.

SkillsUSA is one of eight career and technical student organizations at LCTI. Health & Medical Sciences teacher Heather Mariotti, school counselor Cory Schnaufer and Precision Machine Tool Technology teacher Aaron Schock serve as chapter advisors.

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