Students from Mid-Coast School of Technology had a successful showing at the 2024 SkillsUSA Maine State Conference. SkillsUSA is a career and technical student organization that empowers students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members. 

MCST, led by advisors Brandon Soards and Miranda Balukas, had 47 students attending and competing against peers from across the state in a variety of trade and leadership contests ranging from Extemporaneous Speaking to Automotive Service Technology to Wedding Cake Decorating. Twenty-five medals were awarded to students from Mid-Coast.  

Many Mid-Coast students are returning to SkillsUSA for a second year, while there were also many students new to the co-curricular organization. Leading the way for the Osprey is returning Gold Medalist, Brayden Luce competing in Welding Sculpture. He is now a back-to-back winner in Welding Sculpture winning Gold again in 2024 for SkillsUSA Maine in his senior year. 

Last year Jillian Barnard and Liam Callahan won Gold in EMT. They both returned as seniors this year competing in different industry competitions with Callahan earning Bronze in Firefighting and Barnard earning Bronze in Maine State Officer and Gold in Job Interview.

Machine Tool student Dan Bartlett returned this year competing in a different contest, 3-Axis CNC Mill Programming. After earning Bronze as a junior last year in the state-only Precision Machining contest, Bartlett earned Silver in this year’s competition. Similarly, senior Zach Peacock after placing 3rd last year in Computer Programming returned to win Gold.

Showing perseverance and determination this year was, senior, Kylie Blake. In the 2023 State Conference, she narrowly missed placing in Medical Math. In the March 15 event, however, Blake rose above the field earning Gold.

The Health Knowledge Bowl team has made an impactful showing at the SkillsUSA Maine conference in recent years. This year’s team was led by the returning 2023 National Health Knowledge Bowl team member Emilee Masonoff. Masonoff was joined by fellow seniors Josie Pendleton, Ella Cushman, and Hayley Tufts.

This year’s team continued finding a place on the podium earning Bronze. Junior, Knasic Byer, also returned for redemption after competing last year in Automotive Tool Identification. This year Byer finished in 2nd place.

While many students were veteran SkillsUSA members, Mid-Coast also had a number of new students who outperformed the field. In a newer state-only contest, Outdoor Leadership, senior Eben Weislogel finished in 3rd place. Duo Design Tech students, Teagan Aiken and Christy Christensen collaborated in a team even for Television Video Production in their senior years earning Bronze. In his first year, junior Declan Rodgers came out with a Bronze medal in Computer Programming.

Rounding out the podium finishers for Design Tech is James Mayo, a junior, in State Pin Design, earning Silver. From Automotive Collision seniors Nate Thompson finished 3rd in Collision Damage Appraisal and Bryson Mattox claimed Gold in Automotive Refinishing Technology. Meanwhile, EMT seniors Amanda Wheelis and Max Ergas teamed up to win Silver in EMT and Tessa Byrnes finished with Gold in First Aid/CPR. Junior Firefighting student Brayden Ciasullo finished in 3rd place for Job Skills Demonstration - O. Dagen Campbell, a senior in Machine Tool, earned first place in 2-Axis CNC Turning. And in the Health Occupations Portfolio contest, junior Grace Wesbrock earned Bronze.  

Other students competing in the SkillsUSA Maine Conference were: Geneva Alley and Cordelia Williams (EMT), Asa Appleby (Power Equipment Technology), Jacob Barstow (Precision Machining), Connor Benner (Advertising Design), Sophia Clayton and Jorja Dodge (Wedding Cake Decorating), Hazel Crabtree (Outdoor Leadership), Nolan Fields (Collision Repair Technology), Ashe Gould (Baking and Pastry Arts), Lydia Gurney (Health Occupations Portfolio), Keira Kay (Extemporaneous Speaking), Devin Kelleher (Firefighting), Tristan Langdon (Automotive Service Technology), Ada Marves (Medical Terminology), Jay Munro (Customer Service), Derek Myster (Welding), Mohamed Ngido and Ben Pike (Digital Cinema Production), Zach Reed (Carpentry), Zoe Richardson (State T-Shirt Design), Alden Rousseau (Culinary Arts), Toby VanHoewyk (Advertising Design).