Seventeen Students Finish First in SkillsUSA-VICA Competition

Seventeen students from Pennsylvania College of Technology took first place in their contest categories in the district-level SkillsUSA-VICA competition, held recently at a number of sites, including Penn College.

The first-place finishers now advance to the competition at the Pennsylvania SkillsUSA-VICA Conference, to be held April 9-11 at Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Champion.

SkillsUSA-VICA is a national organization serving more than 245,000 high school and college students and 13,000 professional members in training programs for technical, skilled, health and service occupations. It's organized into 13,000 chapters and 54 state and territorial associations. The SkillsUSA Championships provide a showcase for the best career and technical students in the nation.

The advisers for the Penn College SkillsUSA-VICA student competitors are Edward L. Roadarmel, assistant professor of drafting; Dale J. Kissinger Jr., instructor of HVAC technology/plumbing and heating; and Larry B. Leavitt, associate professor of automotive technology.

The winning students, their academic majors and their contest categories are: David R. Hale, Jersey Shore, Carpentry, Carpentry; James F. White Jr., Lock Haven, Architectural Technology, Architectural Drafting; William J. Frick, Westline , Automated Manufacturing Technology, Automated Manufacturing Technology; Colin G. McGrath, Warren, Manufacturing Engineering Technology, Automated Manufacturing Technology; Brent K. Oberholtzer, Elizabethtown, Manufacturing Engineering Technology, Automated Manufacturing Technology; Zachary P. Germak, Elizabethtown, Diesel Technology, Diesel Equipment Technology; Joshua L. Halin, Butler, HVAC Technology, HVAC; Jeremy C. Rice, Landisburg, Building Construction Technology, Job Interview; Matthew J. Roan, Pennsylvania Furnace, Automotive Technology, Job Skill Demonstration A; Christopher H. Biebuyck, Beaver; Computer Aided Product and System Design, Technical Drafting; Kristofer S. Kurzweg, Fleetwood, Automotive Technology Management, Automotive Service Technology; Henry J. Sporer, Marble, Building Construction Technology-Masonry Construction Emphasis, Masonry; Jason I. Garrett, Cleona, Culinary Arts Technology, Culinary Arts; Peter J. Hoffman, Kutztown, Toolmaking Technology, Precision Machining Technology; Nicholas J. Ensig, Levittown, HVAC Technology, Residential Plumbing; Michael A. Bigelow, Altoona, Computer-Aided Drafting Technology, Related Technical Math; and Andrea M. High, Annville, Baking and Pastry Arts, Commercial Baking.