One hundred twenty-eight Ocean County Vocational Technical School (OCVTS) students competed at the New Jersey SkillsUSA Championships which took place Saturdays in March and April in Atlantic City, Gloucester, Payne Tech, Newark and Somerset Counties, New Jersey. In addition to the Vocational Schools’ sites, the N.E. Carpenters Apprentice Training Center, Edison, Lincoln Tech, South Plainfield, the Mercedes Benz Training Center, Robbinsville, and Vollers, Branchburg New Jersey also hosted various SkillsUSA competitions. SkillsUSA is a national organization which provides quality educational experiences for students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development.

The students competed in over 44 different career-skills events against other high school and post-secondary students from all regions of New Jersey. The Awards Ceremony was held at The Cure Arena, Trenton, Sunday, April 28, 2024 where winners were announced for all events. OCVTS students received an astounding 36 medals overall; 13 gold, 7 silver and 16 bronze.

Many of the gold medal winners are now eligible to advance to the Annual SkillsUSA National Competition/Conference which will be held in Atlanta, Georgia at the end of June. As per the official website, skillsusa.org, the Conference is a showcase of career and technical education students. More than 12,000 people – including students, teachers and business partners – are expected to participate in the weeklong event. In addition to the actual competitions, students participate in individual, group and interactive leadership training activities. More than 6,000 career and technical education students, all state contest winners, will compete hands-on in 115 different trade, technical and leadership fields. The week’s events culminate with the Awards Ceremony, where many of the nation’s top finishers will receive scholarships, tools, computers or other prizes related to their career fields in additional to their medals and national recognition.

GOLD MEDAL WINNERS, THEIR PROGRAMS OF STUDY AND HOMETOWN:
Lillion Bartlinski. Law & Public Safety, Waretown, Sarahy Gaspar, Law & Public Safety, Manchester,
Sean Grimste, Marine Service Technology, Barnegat Light, Thomas Hegyvari, Design & Visual Communication, Brick, Hailey Klimas, Design & Visual Communication, Manahawkin, Jordan Kosich, Design & Visual Communication, Barnegat, Kathleen Lopez, Law & Public Safety, Lanoka Harbor,
Cleatus Oakes, Marine & Environmental Science, Point Pleasant, Michael Veshela, Design & Visual Communication, Manahawkin, Emily Wilczek, Law & Public Safety, Forked River, Ava Snelling, Cosmetology, Manchester, Adamari Flores, Design & Visual Communications, Brick, and Rachael Kessler, Cosmetology, Toms River.

SILVER MEDAL WINNERS, THEIR PROGRAMS OF STUDY AND HOMETOWN:
Mikayla Redway, Building Construction Technology, Brick, Jennise Rodriguez, Building Construction Technology, Toms River, Nicholas Schiattarella, Marine Service Technology, West Creek, Rocco Schmitt, Building Construction Technology, Lanoka Harbor, Breanna Douglas, Electrical Trades, Manahawkin,
Jake Jauch, Culinary Arts, Manahawkin, and Austin Jones, Health & Fitness, Point Pleasant.

BRONZE MEDAL WINNERS, THEIR PROGRAMS OF STUDY AND HOMETOWN:
Alexis Alvarado, Performing Arts, Brick, Jake Buckman, Electrical Trades, Toms River, Kyle Canfield,
Law & Public Safety, Brick, Timothy Dluhos, Law & Public Safety, Brick, Sophie Gabriel, Performing Arts, Bayville, Colton Harper, Heavy Equipment Operator, New Egypt, Vincent Jimenez, Law & Public Safety, Bayville, Lia Kostrey, Law & Public Safety, Barnegat, Logan Kozlik, Law & Public Safety, Barnegat, Natividad Martinez, Cosmetology, Jackson, Jacob Michalik, Law & Public Safety, Brick, Brenda Sanchez, Law & Public Safety, Lakewood, Emma Thomas, Design & Visual Communications, Toms River, Gracie Hammel, Performing Arts, Manahawkin, Sarah Roth, Performing Arts, Bayville and Isabella Vitello, Performing Arts, Toms River.


Ocean County Vocational Technical School offers over 30 career training programs for high school students and adults. Visit www.ocvts.org for information about all of the programs and services offered at OCVTS. OCVTS is accepting applications for September classes. Discover how OCVTS can be a part of your future! Follow OCVTS on twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.