Career and Technical Education students from BOCES put their skills and knowledge to the test against fellow students from all across New York State, competing in the 2025 NYS SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Championship at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse April 23-25. In all, fifteen students won gold, silver, and bronze medals in nine different competitions.
Sixty-seven students from the Charles H. Bohlen, Jr. Technical Center in Watertown and four students from the Howard G. Sackett Technical Center in Glenfield took part in the competition. Four of the first place, gold medal winning students will be able to compete at the SkillsUSA Nationals, June 23-27 in Atlanta, GA. Eligible to attend from the Bohlen Technical Center are Logan Petersen from IHC, Caiden LaLonde and Charles (Jermand) World Turner from Watertown. Eligible to attend from the Sackett Technical Center is Annika Pominville from Beaver River.
Ryan McCormick from Adirondack and the Sackett Technical Center took first place in the Small Engine Service competition. Unfortunately, that competition is not offered at the Nationals.
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. It is a national membership organization serving middle school, high school and college/post-secondary students. Participating students are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations.
Each spring, Career & Technical Education students from across New York State gather to compete against each other in various events involving trade skills, ranging from carpentry to computers. The judges in many of these competitions are those who work in that specific field or trade.
Below is the complete list of students who won medals at the 2025 New York State competition.
Bohlen Technical Center
1st Place Gold Medal
Advertising Design: Logan Petersen (IHC) Visual Communication II
Web Design: Caiden LaLonde (Watertown) Electronics & Computer Technology II, Charles (Jermand) World Turner (Watertown) Visual Communications II
2nd Place Silver Medal
Crime Scene Investigation: Tanner Antonson (Sackets Harbor) Criminal Justice I, Kody Ambrose (Indian River) Criminal Justice II, and Gabriella DeBovis (Watertown) Criminal Justice II
Customer Service: Feliz Mejia (Indian River) Criminal Justice II
Culinary Arts: Roman Peebles (Sackets Harbor) Culinary Arts
3rd Place Bronze Medal
Promotional Bulletin Board: Meadow Hamilton (LaFargeville) Visual Communications I, Franklin Hilton (Carthage) Visual Communications I, Emily Morgenstern (Carthage) Visual Communications I
Photography: Conner Hescock (Carthage) Visual Communications II
First Aid/CPR: Ellie Scofield (South Jefferson) Criminal Justice I
Sackett Technical Center
1st Place Gold Medal
First Aid/CPR: Annika Pominville (Beaver River) Criminal Justice II
Small Engine Service: Ryan McCormick (Adirondack) Gas & Diesel Mechanics II
About Jefferson-Lewis-Hamilton-Herkimer-Oneida BOCES
Jefferson-Lewis-Hamilton-Herkimer-Oneida BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) offers cost-effective shared services to 18 component school districts. These services include career and technical education course offerings as well as special education, instructional and administrative support services. BOCES also serves the continuing education needs of local business, labor and industries in the community and offers a wide range of continuing education opportunities for adult learners. Learn more at www.boces.com.