From Classroom to Competition: Central Mountain High School Student’s National Triumph at SkillsUSA Competition in Atlanta, GA
By Emily Wright
MILL HALL— Keystone Central School District proudly announced last week that four of its prestigious students at Central Mountain High School represented the district at the 2024 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, from June 24 to June 28. The highlight of the event came on Friday night during the awards ceremony when Sofia Dressler, a 2024 graduate, won the National GOLD Medal in the Related Technical Math competition, and Ellen Banfill, Emily Everett, and Samantha Streator took 8th place out of 31 other groups in the Community Service competition.
Dressler’s achievement is a testament to her excellence and hard work. While enrolled in the Drafting and Design program at the Keystone Central Career and Technology Center (CTC), she also gained practical experience by working at First Quality through the Cooperative Education program during the school year. Apart from her impressive SkillsUSA victory, Dressler was the salutatorian for the Class of 2024, solidifying her place among the district’s top achievers.
In the Related Technical Math competition, participants take a test to demonstrate the skills required to solve mathematical problems that are commonly used in skilled trades and technical occupations. “Related technical math is a 50-question written test. There are only a handful of multiple-choice questions; the vast majority are free response. The math itself can range from algebra to trig, but almost everything is a word problem with technical applications. Topics in architecture, machining, landscaping, and many more are included,” Dressler explained. “There are so many different topics that could be on the Technical Math test that you can never really know what you’re going to get that particular day. It makes the process nerve-racking but also extremely fun. I like to do math for fun, so the test felt more like a challenging puzzle than a chore.”
Dressler shared that she was encouraged by her drafting teacher, Mr. Hoy, to join SkillsUSA, and since there were already two students competing in Architectural and Technical drafting, she opted to compete in Related Technical Math.
When it came to preparing for the competition’s Technical Math test, Dressler said she had to be ready for anything because the test incorporates a wide range of math concepts. “I found that the best way to do this is to train foundational math and critical thinking skills equally. I used Khan Academy, practice tests available online, and a technical math textbook that was given to me by my drafting teacher to keep my math abilities sharp,” she said. “Problem-solving is trained in a much less formal way because it is a mindset, not memorization. I have always loved looking for patterns in everything, and I found the best way to make me a better thinker is to pay attention and be present in the moment. Any time I saw something I thought I could solve with math, I wrote it down to solve later.”
When asked about how her teachers supported her leading up to the competition, Dressler said that they not only provided food, water, and transportation, but they also made themselves available to help her prepare. “Mrs. Grieb and Mrs. Brungard, along with Mr. Hoy over the phone, were my support system. They encouraged me, helped me find resources to study, talked problems over with me, and so much more. I knew that no matter how I did, they would be extremely proud. I am so grateful for the time and effort they poured into me and the relationships I have formed with them.”
The competition includes a wide variety of trades to pursue, ranging from cosmetology to welding. Dressler says that seeing the variety served as a reminder not to limit herself, as there are many occupational paths to pursue. “I used to be afraid to try new things because I thought I would be bad at them, but when I think of all of the incredible things I could try in my lifetime, my excitement outweighs my anxiety. I have always been good at math, but I also like applying it in an engineering setting. I never thought I had a “mechanical mind,” but when I let myself tackle challenges without worrying about the outcome, I found that I could solve problems much more easily,” she said.
Beyond competing, Dressler said that getting the chance to mingle with students from other states and learn about their chosen competition was a highlight of the trip. “I really enjoyed talking to people about their competitions and hearing them speak about what they are most passionate about,” she said. In addition to socializing, students had some time for recreation in Atlanta as well. “I really enjoyed playing spike ball with people from other schools in the neighboring hotel. I very much enjoy recreational sports and was super excited to find some at Skills.”
As far as Dressler’s recommendations to students who are considering participating in SkillsUSA go, she says it’s a great way to showcase abilities and meet other students. “You get to meet people from all types of experiences and backgrounds who are working towards the same goal. It is incredibly amazing to be seen as an individual and be part of something larger.”
In an impressive display of dedication and community spirit, Ellen Banfill, Emily Everett, and Samantha Streator clinched 8th place out of the 31 groups at the 2024 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in the Community Service Competition. Their project, aimed at making their community safer and more prepared for emergencies, stood out among tough competition and brought pride to their school and hometown.
Banfill, Everett, and Streator are enrolled in the Health Occupations program at Keystone Central’s CTC and will be seniors in the upcoming 2024-25 school year. Their community service project was centered on “Stop the Bleed” training, which demonstrated their commitment to providing the community with practical, life-saving education.
The Community Service competition is all about recognizing the efforts of local SkillsUSA chapters that have made a positive impact on their communities. In this contest, each SkillsUSA chapter presents their best community service project for the current school year. Banfill shared more insight into how the competition works. “The Community Service project is scored in two parts. The first part is a slideshow presentation based on how we impacted our schools and community, as well as the difference we have made in our community. The second part is a binder with more in-depth explanations of what we did for our community, as well as where we distributed our Stop The Bleed Kits.” Students also had to supply letters of recognition for this competition.
Streator added that the team’s presentation consisted of an overview of their entire project. “We started by presenting why we wanted to do our project and why it was important to us [and to] others,” Streator shared. “We told the judges about some of our goals and objectives. Then we moved into project start-up and what each training consisted of. We touched on the impacts our project made on the community and school. Lastly, we provided a numerical overview of what was done in our project, such as how many kits we placed and how many people we trained,” she said.
Ellen, Emily, and Samantha entered the Community Service competition with their project focused on “Stop The Bleed”, a national awareness campaign and training program that aims to educate everyday citizens about the skills and knowledge needed to act swiftly in an emergency situation involving life-threatening bleeding after a traumatic injury. The training teaches participants how to recognize and respond to those situations effectively, and with hands-on practice, participants gain confidence in these techniques, preparing them to be effective first responders until professional medical help arrives.
Numerous organizations, including schools, community centers, businesses, and healthcare facilities, host Stop The Bleed training sessions, and by increasing the number of trained individuals in the community, the program significantly enhances the collective ability to respond to emergencies, potentially saving countless lives.
Reflecting on the inspiration behind their project, Banfill stated, “The three of us saw the need in our community and took it upon ourselves to act and make a difference. As aspiring healthcare professionals, we wanted to make the community safer and more prepared for any unexpected event,” she said. Emily Everett echoed Banfill’s sentiments, stating, “We chose this project because we saw a need for more emergency resources in our community,” she explained. “Stop The Bleed stood out to us because we didn’t see much of it here.”
When asked about how they prepared for the national competition as a team, Everett shared that preparation was key to their success. “We discussed what we thought could have gone better from our state-level presentation and tried to fix that,” Everett noted. The team also considered various scenarios, planning for potential challenges to ensure they were ready for anything that might arise. Banfill and Streator shared that the team met several times to prepare themselves for the competition and dedicated countless hours to working on their project.
The journey to securing 8th place at nationals was not easy. Presenting their project in front of judges was “very nerve-wracking,” Banfill admitted, especially with the pressure of representing their state. Building on Banfill’s sentiments, Everett shared, “It was intimidating, but at the same time, it was a full circle moment knowing our hard work gave us that ability,” Everett said, capturing the mix of anxiety and pride felt by the team. Streator added her thoughts, stating, “It is also a little scary knowing that you are competing against a lot of other teams, and it all comes down to who the judges think is the best to decide where you place.” The team’s hard work paid off in a remarkable way, bolstering their school’s reputation on a national level.
Reflecting on memorable experiences at the 2024 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, Everett shared, “We got to meet many other students from almost all of the other states! Everyone was very nice, and we all shared our experiences from our state competitions.” Banfill shared that the highlights of the experience for her were meeting people from all over the country and trading state pins, a common theme among all four students who competed. Streator mentioned that for her, a highlight of the trip to the national competition was a festival night for students, which gave them an opportunity to socialize with each other. “SkillsUSA rented out all of Olympic Park for just SkillsUSA competitors. They brought in close to 30 food trucks, they had blow-up games, they brought in a DJ, and at the end of the night, they shot off fireworks. We were able to meet other people and just have fun,” she shared. “I met so many people at Nationals because of the activities that they put in place, and I still talk to them today.” This sense of community underscored the national gathering, highlighting the broad impact of SkillsUSA.
“It was such an honor to represent our school and community,” Banfill said. “Without the support from both, our project could not have been possible. Even though we did not come home with a medal, the number of people who were at CMHS on Saturday morning to welcome us home made it all worth it. From students to teachers and other staff, the community’s support was overwhelming.”
The success story wouldn’t be complete without acknowledging the invaluable support from their mentors. Banfill credited Chelsea Grieb, Ashley Brungard, KCSD School Resource Officer Tod Brian, and Ann Banfill, Deputy Chief of Lock Haven Emergency Medical Services (EMS), for their unwavering support. “Each one of them offered helping hands in any way they could,” she noted. “Mrs. Grieb and Mrs. Brungard helped us perfect all aspects of our project that would be presented at the state and national levels and took time out of their summer vacation to make our trip to nationals possible. Tod Brian and Ann Banfill were present at all eight of our Stop the Bleed Trainings. They also pushed us to become better public speakers and develop relationships in the community.” Everett echoed Banfill’s sentiments and added, “They were amazing with all of their support!” Streator highlighted the commitment their teachers and mentors made to help them succeed on a national level, “Our teachers and mentors were incredible. They supported us the whole way through our project and always asked if we needed extra help. They also left their families for a week just to come to support us and be there with us. I honestly could not ask for better,” she said.
When it comes to how their participation in SkillsUSA influenced their future career or educational goals, Streator said that she already had a plan when she joined the program, and SkillsUSA solidified it for her. She also said that the national competition revealed the many avenues one can pursue in the medical field. “There were so many different opportunities at Nationals to go look at organizations and ask them about what they do. There were so many different options for the medical field that really kept my interest and made me want healthcare to be my end goal,” she said.
Banfill’s advice to other students considering participation in SkillsUSA was heartfelt and encouraging: “SkillsUSA has impacted my life tremendously. The hardest part is taking the first step and putting yourself out there. But once you see how supportive all of your fellow teammates are and the love and support everyone puts towards you, all of the nerves are worth it. It is by far one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had.”
Ellen, Emily, Samantha, and Sofia’s journey and achievements at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference highlight the incredible impact that dedication, educational support, and expert mentorship can have.
