SkillsUSA Visual Communiactions students holding banners

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES students won three SkillsUSA state championships, and four students will be advancing to the national conference in June in Atlanta.

Overall, Herkimer BOCES students placed in six of the state-level competitions.

“This year's theme is ‘SkillsUSA Champions at Work – Our Time Is Now,’” Herkimer BOCES SkillsUSA co-advisor Holly Rotundo Fischer said. “How very fitting, when we continue to hear about the skills gap in the workforce. These students rose to the occasion and stepped out of their comfort zone to showcase their vocational skills.”

Herkimer BOCES sent a total of 48 students to the SkillsUSA New York State Leadership and Skills Conference from April 26-28 at the Syracuse Fairgrounds. Herkimer BOCES had 42 students registered in 32 contests, four student delegates and two student helpers. Rotundo Fischer, the Herkimer BOCES Cosmetology program instructor, is the Herkimer BOCES SkillsUSA co-advisor with Cosmetology teaching assistant Sarah Jacquays-Alberts.

Herkimer BOCES students listed below won SkillsUSA state championships in the following events: 

First Place in Promotional Bulletin Board: Herkimer BOCES Visual Communications Media Arts seniors Corey Wohler (Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District), Jolene Manipole (Poland Central School District) and Madison Battisti (Little Falls City School District).

First Place in Customer Service: Herkimer BOCES Cosmetology junior McKenzie Schuster (West Canada Valley Central School District).

First Place in Cosmetology Junior: Herkimer BOCES Cosmetology junior Kaylee Lynch (Dolgeville Central School District).

Wohler, Manipole and Battisti will advance to the national Promotional Bulletin Board competition, and Schuster will advance to the national Customer Service competition. There isn’t a national level competition for the Cosmetology Junior competition.

The four students who will be competing in the national events will be able to attend the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, which takes place from June 19-23 in Atlanta.

Herkimer BOCES students listed below also placed in the following SkillsUSA state-level competitions:

Second Place in Welding Fabrication Team: Herkimer BOCES Welding and Metal Fabrication seniors Brogan Graves (Richfield Springs Central School District), Aidan Monahan (West Canada Valley Central School District) and Robert Teel (Owen D. Young Central School District).

Third Place in SkillsUSA New York State Pin Design Contest: Herkimer BOCES Visual Communications Media Arts senior Jolene Manipole (Poland Central School District) – in a competition that included more than 200 entries.

Third Place in Nail Care: Herkimer BOCES Cosmetology seniors Madison Williams and Grace Koppany (both of Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District). Williams did the nail care, and Koppany was the model. Both members of the team received medals.



Three Visual Communications Media Arts students holding banners that they won the SkillsUSA state championship and the heading to nationals banner

From left: Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Visual Communications Media Arts seniors Corey Wohler (Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District), Madison Battisti (Little Falls City School District) and Jolene Manipole (Poland Central School District) won the state championship in the Promotional Bulletin Board event at the SkillsUSA New York State Leadership and Skills Conference. They will advance to the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference from June 19-23 in Atlanta.


Cosmetology student holding a banner as SkillsUSA state champion in customer service

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Cosmetology junior McKenzie Schuster (West Canada Valley Central School District) won the state championship in the Customer Service event at the SkillsUSA New York State Leadership and Skills Conference. Schuster will advance to the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference from June 19-23 in Atlanta.


Cosmetology student holding a banner as SkillsUSA state champion in Cosmetology Jr.

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Cosmetology junior Kaylee Lynch (Dolgeville Central School District) won the state championship in the Cosmetology Junior event at the SkillsUSA New York State Leadership and Skills Conference.


Three Welding students pose with medals at SkillsUSA event

From left: Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Welding and Metal Fabrication seniors Aidan Monahan (West Canada Valley Central School District), Robert Teel (Owen D. Young Central School District) and Brogan Graves (Richfield Springs Central School District) won second place in the Welding Fabrication Team event at the SkillsUSA New York State Leadership and Skills Conference.


Visual Communications Media Arts student with a medal for pin design contest from SkillsUSA

Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Visual Communications Media Arts senior Jolene Manipole (Poland Central School District) won third place in the SkillsUSA New York State Pin Design Contest at the SkillsUSA New York State Leadership and Skills Conference. The contest included more than 200 entries.


Two Cosmetology students pose with medals at SkillsUSA event

From left: Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Cosmetology seniors Madison Williams and Grace Koppany (both of Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District) won third place in the Nail Care event at the SkillsUSA New York State Leadership and Skills Conference. Williams did the nail care, and Koppany was the model. Both members of the team received medals.


Promotional bulletin board made by Visual Communications students for SkillsUSA

This is the promotional bulletin board that Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Visual Communications Media Arts seniors Corey Wohler (Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District), Jolene Manipole (Poland Central School District) and Madison Battisti (Little Falls City School District) made for the Promotional Bulletin Board event at the SkillsUSA New York State Leadership and Skills Conference. The students won the state championship in the event, and they will advance to the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference from June 19-23 in Atlanta.