UPTON – Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School (BVT) students proved their vocational-technical ability at the annual SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, June 23-27. The event is the world’s largest showcase of career and technical education students.

The highlight of the conference is the SkillsUSA Championships, where thousands of outstanding career and technical education students – all state contest winners from across the nation – compete in hundreds of hands-on skill and leadership competitions. Students work against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations such as electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assisting, and culinary arts.

In the third and final stage of the SkillsUSA competition series, BVT students competed with impressive results. Once again, the student competitors demonstrated their career-technical expertise and proudly claimed four gold and three bronze medals. The contestants who medaled or those in the top five who met a threshold contest score for their event as an indicator of proficiency were also awarded skill point certificates.

“Our students welcome the opportunity to compete at the SkillsUSA District, State, and National Championships against themselves and other highly skilled vocational-technical students,” said Superintendent-Director Mr. Anthony E. Steele II. “In 2025, our students proved their technical skills are among the best in the country by earning 135 medals at all three levels.” 

The following BVT students placed in the top 10 at the 2025 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference Championships. More details are available at www.valleytech.k12.ma.us/skillsusa.

BLACKSTONE

5TH Place: Haley McKinnon, Photography.  

GRAFTON

Gold: Cooper Often, Mechatronics. 

6th Place: Connor McInerney, HVAC/R.

HOPEDALE

National Officer: Kallie Allen.

Bronze: Ella Foster, Engineering Technology-Design.  

MENDON

9th Place: Phoebe Burke, Robotics & Automation Technology.

National Voting Delegate: Payton Smith.

MILFORD

Gold: Andrew Dolan, Health Occupations Professional Portfolio.  

National Voting Delegates: Emily Kee and Maria Clara De Oliveira.

MILLBURY

Bronze: Allison Garden, Engineering Technology-Design.  

7TH Place: Robyn Repekta, Telecommunications Cabling.  

NORTHBRIDGE

Gold: Steven Caya, Principles of Engineering-Technology.  

4th Place: Autumn Gromelski, Restaurant Service.  

9th Place: Esther Alves, Robotics & Automation Technology.

9TH Place: Zabel DerKosrofian, Technical Computer Applications.

National Voting Delegate: Bella Baltramaitis.

UPTON

Gold: Justin Fransen, Mechatronics.  

National Voting Delegate: Madison Denise.

UXBRIDGE

Bronze: Gabrielle Gannon, Engineering Technology-Design. 

About Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School (BVT):

Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School serves the towns of Bellingham, Blackstone, Douglas, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Northbridge, Sutton, Upton, and Uxbridge. Located in the heart of the Blackstone Valley, BVT creates a positive learning community that prepares students for personal and professional success in an internationally competitive society through a fusion of rigorous vocational, technical, and academic skills.