Raiders take prime honors at NC SkillsUSA Competitors

GREENSBORO – Three Richmond County Faculties college students took prime honors in the course of the 2023 North Carolina SkillsUSA Convention on the Greensboro Conference Middle Complicated, held April 18-20.

Bethzaria Zapata, a junior, received first place within the Job Expertise Demonstration (Open) competitors, Naaman Perakis, a senior, received second place within the Drone Pilot competitors, and Oscar Rodriguez, a junior, received third place within the Firefighter Intermediate expertise competitors.

The three winners have been a part of a 20-student Raider group that competed within the annual occasion that was hosted by the North Carolina Division of Instruction’s Profession and Technical Schooling (CTE) and introduced collectively 1000’s of scholars and employees from throughout the state to compete in dozens of occasions in hopes of representing the state on the nationwide competitors that might be held in late June in Atlanta.

Zapata is at the moment taking a machining class at Richmond Neighborhood Faculty, the place she discovered her expertise as a part of the dual-enrollment program between RCC and Richmond Senior. Within the open division, she may decide any talent to exhibit to judges in a timed occasion.

With a quiet, calm character, she mentioned she was shocked to be within the prime 5 when her title was known as to method the stage to get lined as much as obtain an award. Along side the stage, SkillsUSA employees lined up the scholars from fifth to first place. After a couple of minutes, Zapata was standing on the finish of the road and was instructed she had received first place.

“I used to be in shock,” she mentioned proper after receiving her plaque and medal. “I couldn’t imagine the judges chosen me over everybody else.”

What does one do after getting gold? After all, name dwelling to her mom and let her know she’s happening to the subsequent stage of competitors.

“I get to symbolize all of Richmond County and my highschool at Nationals. How cool is that?” she mentioned. “I’m so happy with all our group. We got here up right here and did our greatest.”

Zapata mentioned she hopes to return subsequent yr and produce again extra gold for Richmond Senior.

Perakis was additionally shocked his title was known as to the stage. It was an surprising accolade for him.

“I’m so excited to obtain this award,” he mentioned. “I don’t have my drone pilot license but, and I went up in opposition to individuals who have been doing this for a few years and with their license. Nothing improper with second place.”

Perakis mentioned he’s new to flying drones however hopes to proceed his schooling at RCC with the Electrical Utility Substation and Relay Expertise curriculum.

“Drones play an enormous function in know-how as we speak,” he mentioned. “I’ve been doing this for a really brief time, however who is aware of, this may very well be the start of one thing large for me.”

Rodriguez is one other quiet skilled who stood again and watched the firefighting competitors as college students laughed and talked amongst themselves. The four-person Raider firefighting group knew they’d the expertise to compete at a excessive stage however mentioned taking one of many prime spots is likely to be tough.

“A few of these groups practice all yr only for this competitors,” mentioned Victor McCaskill, the varsity’s firefighter know-how instructor. “Our college students spend their free time at night time and on weekends volunteering at native fireplace departments. It doesn’t matter what award they get; they’re already heroes as a result of they serve their communities.”

Rodriguez volunteers on the Cordova Fireplace Division, and his can-do perspective took him to the rostrum for a well-deserved third-place end.

“I’ve all the time been all in favour of being a firefighter,” he mentioned. “Taking my top quality at the highschool received me hooked. Some mates at school instructed me about volunteering at an area fireplace division, and I’ve been in love with it ever since.”

Wendall Sessoms, the Richmond Senior’s Legislation and Order and drone know-how instructor, mentioned he wasn’t shocked to see a number of wins in the course of the competitors.

“These college students put plenty of arduous work into getting ready for this week,” he mentioned after the ceremony. “They take this significantly, and it confirmed as we speak. These college students gave up their evenings and weekends to make sure they have been able to compete at this stage.”

Sessoms mentioned he would all the time see the firefighting college students exterior working hoses after courses.

“It simply exhibits the dedication now we have at the highschool,” he mentioned. “It doesn’t matter if it’s CTE, Beta Membership, or sports activities; our college students all the time come ready to compete and present the very best of the county.”

On the helm in North Carolina is Trey Michael, the state’s senior director for CTE. He spent the three days strolling round speaking with college students and employees as he noticed a full day of actions. One occasion he noticed was the drone competitors as Richmond Raider Naaman Perakis took to the out of doors course within the shadows of the fieldhouse.

“These college students are doing nice issues right here this week,” Michael mentioned. “We’ve so many actions happening like profession improvement, management improvement, and naturally, competing in all the good actions just like the drones and firefighters now we have exterior right here as we speak.”

Michael mentioned the CTE applications permit college students to discover a variety of choices for his or her future – inside and outdoors the classroom. By taking part in CTE at Richmond Senior, college students can begin a profession path they’re keen about, all whereas incomes useful experiences and faculty credit.

“CTE has all types of actually attention-grabbing alternatives in expert trades that college students want to pay attention to about their future profession alternatives,” Michael mentioned. “Right this moment is the spine of all of the issues that we do.”

That spine is what units Richmond County Faculties above the remainder.

“Richmond County is a superb instance of what I might think about a microcosm of the alternatives that college students ought to have in every of our public excessive colleges,” he mentioned. “There are such a lot of great issues occurring in Richmond County, I believe folks must learn about it, they usually’re doing nice issues. They’ve received those that care, folks which are engaged. They’ve folks like Greg [Norton] and Jason [Perakis] which are actually invested of their college students. I believe that’s a very particular factor.”

Michael mentioned the CTE program in Richmond County embraces each single alternative.

“They’re what each district in North Carolina ought to be providing to their college students,” he mentioned. “They’ve developed relationships with a number of group and technical faculties and with native companies to present each alternative for his or her college students to succeed.”

Over the previous few many years, the nationwide push for a four-year faculty schooling for college kids has been a platform for a lot of native, state, and nationwide leaders.

Michael and Jeff James, the Richmond Senior automotive teacher, each mentioned {that a} four-year schooling isn’t for everybody, and CTE fills that hole to make sure college students have a path of success after highschool.

“There are such a lot of nice alternatives at Richmond,” James mentioned. “So many college students don’t even notice what we provide throughout the CTE program. I’ve had college students come as much as me and inform me they didn’t even notice we provide automotive courses at the highschool.”

James and all of the Richmond CTE advisors spent the day encouraging all Raiders to do their finest and preserve their spirits up in the course of the competitors. From crime scene investigation to welding, Sessoms, James, McCaskill, and Pleasure Kennedy, the varsity’s agriculture instructor, have been busy

making certain all 20 college students had the Raider help behind them as they went head-to-head in opposition to the very best of North Carolina.

“On the finish of the day, it’s not in regards to the awards however in regards to the expertise of competing at this stage,” James mentioned. “We would like our college students to stroll away from this week realizing they did their finest and to be happy with their accomplishments realizing they represented a whole county. As lecturers, we’re happy with what they’ve completed to achieve this level. They’d put in lengthy hours again dwelling preparing for this competitors, and that preparation was evident watching them compete. We couldn’t be extra happy with them, and we’re able to return subsequent yr and produce dwelling extra medals.”

Kennedy, a SkillsUSA advisor for the varsity district, mentioned the scholars’ arduous work and their need to be the very best of their space represented all the county with the poise that comes with being a Richmond Raider.

“I’m so happy with the arduous work and time these college students have put into their competitors areas,” she mentioned. “The North Carolina SkillsUSA Convention is their time to shine. The expertise they acquire is invaluable.”

On the finish of the week, Michael mentioned he hoped the scholars higher understood the alternatives on the market for them after commencement.

“We would like them to have the ability to contribute to their native financial system and assist develop and enhance their communities,” Michael mentioned. “Right this moment, now we have the way forward for our state and nation proper right here on the SkillsUSA Convention in Greensboro. I couldn’t be extra enthusiastic about the way forward for our college students. Go searching, and also you see leaders who might be changing our technology and taking North Carolina into the long run.”