Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Cosmetology student Isabella Burton recently participated in the SkillsUSA Washington Leadership Training Institute conference in Washington, D.C., along with her SkillsUSA advisor and Cosmetology teacher Holly Fischer.
While there, Burton, from Little Falls City School District, visited museums and monuments and met with representatives from the offices of U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino. She took part in leadership and advocacy trainings and prepared for the year ahead in her role as a SkillsUSA state officer.
But one of her favorite parts of attending the WLTI was getting to know state officers from other states.
“In my group, we were hanging out with people from North Carolina. There were some from Texas, Arizona. There's so many people around the states that you don't normally ever see. And then you see them multiple times, and you get to know them, and you build friendships,” Burton said. “It feels great because you don't know these people until you actually go and experience it. You don't realize how diverse everybody is until you're actually there. And then you don't realize the connections you'll make with people who are from across the country.”
The SkillsUSA WLTI event took place from Sept. 26 to 30 in Washington, D.C. Burton was elected as a state officer during the SkillsUSA New York State Leadership and Skills Conference from April 22 to 24 at the Syracuse Fairgrounds. She then attended the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference from June 1 to 5 in Atlanta, where she received officer training to prepare her for her leadership responsibilities.
‘Change and grow’
At the WLTI, Burton and Fischer both also tested for and earned their SkillsUSA National Statesman Awards, which recognize “leadership, career readiness and civic engagement through SkillsUSA,” according to the organization.
“I'm definitely proud of her,” Fischer said of Burton. “She’s stepping outside of her comfort zone – and just the growth that I've seen in her since last year. And she's not done yet. She's going to be a completely different person from even now to when she graduates. So it's exciting to see her change and grow herself, both personally and in a professional manner.”
Burton’s preparation for the WLTI conference started on Sept. 2 with prework including writing a paper and taking five tests. During the conference, her work included filling out a booklet, taking tests each day, interviewing to earn the statesman award and more.
Despite the hard work required, Burton enjoyed the WLTI conference – including participating in the training activities and visiting Washington, D.C., monuments and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
“That was definitely very eye-opening,” she said.
‘An opportunity’
Burton is the first Herkimer BOCES student to become a state officer in more than 25 years, Fischer said, and Burton joins only a small number of students from across the state who are state officers each year.
“She's got an opportunity that only 13 other students have in the state – because there's 14 officers total,” Fischer said. “So she is making the most of this, the opportunity that she's given. She's taking it very seriously and trying to strive to do her best at everything that has been given to her.”
Burton became a state officer by running for the position during the SkillsUSA state conference in a vote decided by SkillsUSA delegates. She campaigned – including giving a speech, creating a poster, working with Herkimer BOCES Visual Communications & Media Arts students to have buttons made for her and interviewing with state SkillsUSA leaders.
The position means extra training for both Burton and Fischer, who became a state officer advisor to work with Burton. Fischer participates in extra trainings during the national events and will help oversee students during events in New York state.
“And I'm so grateful for this because of Mrs. Fischer,” Burton said. “She's the reason that I wanted to join SkillsUSA because if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't know what it was.”
For Burton, the state officer position means more preparation work before conferences, and it is a big commitment, Fischer said.
“They have prework and they have Zoom meetings after school hours, on top of her juggling her classes at school and sports and work – because she does all of those,” Fischer said.
‘Above and beyond’
As a state officer, not only did Burton attend the events in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., but she will also be involved with putting on SkillsUSA events throughout this school year.
At the SkillsUSA Area II kickoff event on Oct. 20, she will work with three other officers to lead some activities, build off the SkillsUSA framework and get everyone to know each other.
Burton also will be going a couple of days early to the SkillsUSA Fall Leadership Conference that takes place Nov. 1 to 3 in Albany to prepare to help put on the event because students will be running activities for other students designed to build leadership and communication skills. Burton and one other state officer will be in a room of about 40 students and two advisors to lead activities.
The Fall Leadership Conference was when Burton realized she wanted to become a state officer. She and Fischer believe they’ll have at least two students interested in becoming state officers this school year after the fall conference.
During the SkillsUSA regional conference in February at SUNY Morrisville, Burton’s role will include being in the delegate session as decisions are made. And at the state conference in April at the Syracuse Fairgrounds, she will again be part of the delegate session, and she will be on stage presenting awards for competition winners.
Burton expects all the extra experience as a state officer will help her in many ways – including in her career. She intends to begin working in a salon after graduating from the Cosmetology program.
“With the leadership, you definitely go above and beyond,” Burton said. “You don't really realize how well you're going to use it in your life. And I feel like being a part of SkillsUSA, it's definitely going to help me in the future when I'm like communicating with people, trying to work as a team. In the Cosmetology program, obviously you're going to have to communicate with people that you've never communicated with. And going to these conferences, it's helping me build that communication as well as teamwork. Like, say I don't know what I'm going to do with someone's hair one day – I can use the team in the salon to help.”
‘Level Up’
Each year, SkillsUSA selects a national theme that becomes a big part of competitions and events throughout the year.
“This year’s theme is ‘SkillsUSA: Level Up,’” Fischer said. “And I think Isabella really personifies that message. With everything she has been and will continue to do in her role as a state officer, she is truly leveling up.”
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Cosmetology student Isabella Burton (left) and her SkillsUSA advisor and Cosmetology teacher Holly Fischer (right) pose together at the SkillsUSA Washington Leadership Training Institute conference in Washington, D.C.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Cosmetology student Isabella Burton (second from left) poses with a representative from U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s office and other SkillsUSA state officers while visiting Gillibrand’s office during the SkillsUSA Washington Leadership Training Institute conference in Washington, D.C.