Orange-Ulster BOCES students win state SkillsUSA gold, advance to nationals

Orange-Ulster BOCES turned a state SkillsUSA trip into a workforce showcase, as six students won gold in trades and technical fields that feed directly into local jobs and career pathways. The chapter’s top finishers will now represent Orange County at the national competition in Atlanta from June 1 to June 5.

The district said 46 students traveled to Syracuse on April 22 and returned on April 24 after competing against students from more than 100 schools across New York at the SkillsUSA New York State Conference. For OUB, the result marked one of the strongest medal runs the chapter has had in recent memory, with more golds than the program has brought home in years.

The six students advancing to nationals are Dayanara Garcia in nail care, Craig Brown in carpentry, Savannah Collins in early childhood education, and Patrick Frawley, Brady Witkowski and Cameron Brown in welding fabrication. Those wins matter far beyond the medal count. Nail care points to salon and cosmetology work, carpentry to the building trades, early childhood education to daycare and pre-K classrooms, and welding fabrication to manufacturing and shop-floor jobs that remain in demand across the region.

Orange-Ulster BOCES also reported silver medals for Kayla Lee in medical terminology and Grace Coleman in medical assisting, adding to a showing that reflected the range of career and technical programs students are moving through in Orange County. The district described the competition as a chance for students to represent the school, connect with industry professionals and take the next step toward future careers.

Laura Brissing, the chapter adviser, said the results were especially meaningful. “It’s pretty awesome,” Brissing said. “We’re like proud parents.” Her reaction captured the broader payoff for Goshen and the rest of Orange County: these are not abstract honors, but evidence that the county’s CTE pipeline is producing students with skills employers can use now.

At nationals, the stakes rise sharply. SkillsUSA says the 2026 National Leadership & Skills Conference will bring together more than 19,000 attendees and more than 6,500 state champions competing in 114 skilled and leadership events. For Orange-Ulster BOCES, the trip to Atlanta is both a celebration and a test, with six students now carrying New York gold onto the national stage.