Jazmynn Torres Interview
How was your experience with SkillsUSA?
“I had a really good experience; not just with the competition but with the people. They were really caring and they pushed me through even though we didn’t win. You get to learn from different people and have fun at the same time. It was a really fun experience and I would like to try it again.”
For students who may be asking: How does it work when you’re in Ontario when you advance, in aspects of the living situations?
“So when you’re in the hotel, you stay with a group of people, and you guys have to share a dorm. It has a kitchen, beds, and bathrooms. It’s pretty fun to interact with new people actually, and meet new friends, and you all collaborate and have fun. There will be games where you can talk to each other, like social events, and their really good listeners too when you need to practice your speech. I actually got to listen to my group of friends that I dormed with.”
David Rodriguez Interview
How was your experience with SkillsUSA?
“It was very interesting. We did a lot of things that I’ve never done before, like staying at a hotel with my friends, and it was a fun experience.”
Would you encourage other students to join in SkillsUSA or join any CTE (Career Technical Education) classes?
“Yes, because they’re fun. There are a plethora of different, fun classes you can do. You can fly drones, cook, or be a firefighter. You can really learn a lot from it and can enjoy it with friends”
What CTE class are you in and why did you choose it?
“I joined Introduction to Engineering Design 2022-2023. I joined it because all the other electives didn’t catch my interest, and this one stood out to me.”
How was the living experience in Ontario?
“It was very interesting. We would often switch out each night, in the bed, since it was three of us, and there was a pull out bed from the couch, so we would rotate. We didn’t all fit in the bed so sometimes my friend would sleep in the couch bed, then my friend and I would be in the Queen bed, and then the next night, I would sleep in the couch bed, and my other two friends would sleep on the Queen bed, then we rotated again. We also had to wake up early each day to go get breakfast since the Hotel provided breakfast for us.”
Benjamin Douglass
How was your trip to Ontario for SkillsUSA? What did you like, what did you not like?
“I had a fun time. I think it was because there were a ton of people there. After the competition we had freedom to do anything within reason, and so it was just fun with everybody else there. They also had a bunch of other activities there that you could do too.”
What benefit did you gain from joining SkillsUSA?
“The obvious things; I learned more skills, especially for my competition which was related to technical math. So, I had to practice math to do it, and naturally got better at that.”
What CTE course are you in and why did you decide to take it? Would you encourage students to take CTE classes, and why?
“I’m taking the pathway to engineering, the intro, so basically the fundamentals. I would recommend taking the class, because you learn a lot of stuff that I find interesting, especially if you are interested in engineering. There’s several fun projects and activities to do which is always enjoyable.”
How would you describe the social gatherings that they offered at Skills from the social activities to the social gatherings and the In-N-Out? What was it like ?
“It was a lot of fun because it was a big event, so there were a lot of sponsors like you mentioned. The In-N-Out truck, the dance and DJ they brought, and lots of old cars that they had redone were all a part of that.”
Would you encourage students to join SkillsUSA for the next school year?
“I would encourage it just because it’s a cool experience, and you could do and learn whatever you’d like, and can specify what you wanna learn. It all depends on which competition you’re going to, you can pick the one that’s interesting to you.”
Sarahi Quiahua Interview
How was SkillsUSA this year for you?
“It was definitely better than last year. I really liked it. It was worth the hard work we put in. The reason it was better than last year was because I had already had experience from last year. This is my second year doing SkillsUSA so I already kinda knew what I had to do, therefore making it easier.”
Would you do SkillsUSA again next year?
“Yes, because it was very fun, and the experience is something that you get once in a lifetime.”
Is there anything different about this year’s competition compared to last year?
“Yes there was actually. This year, SkillsUSA did a little differently by hosting the awards ceremony somewhere else but it was definitely cool because it’s not something you see or experience every day.”
What were some fun activities that you did in Ontario with the group you dormed with?
“The advisors gave us things to bake as snacks, so we got to make cookies and watch 16 Wishes. The experience was serious at times, but we got a good laugh in and definitely had fun.”
Yazlene Garcia Interview
How was your experience with SkillsUSA?
“SkillsUSA was amazing but it also taught me about the consequences of not properly funded public schools.”
What did you compete in?
“I competed in the Promotional Bulletin Board.”
How was the experience in Ontario?
“The experience in Ontario was fun, and it taught me the importance of teamwork and public speaking. I also got to experience the moments with friends.”
Would you encourage students to take CTE classes and join SkillsUSA?
“Yes I would, and I also wish our schools would offer more CTE courses just because there is a wide variety. These classes actually teach students professional skills on basic courses such as math, history, and science, while expanding your knowledge in the career you find interesting and want to do.”
Alexander Tarrant Interview
How was SkillsUSA for you?
“It was fun. Definitely an experience I got to enjoy with my friends.”
How was the experience and is there anything you learned through SkillsUSA?
“I got to be with my friends, and we had a collaboration activity where we got to bond. Then we were able to execute our presentation, and we didn’t win in Ontario, but it was fun to have the experience.”
Would you encourage other students to join SkillsUSA?
“Yes, it’s a good experience and you should experience it at least once in your highschool years. If you don’t, you’re missing out on a lot of fun pretty much. You get to go to new places and experience new things along with new people.”
Annabel Adriatico (Advisor)
What role do you play for our local chapter here at Mayfair and what region do we belong in?
“I, as an advisor, fielded 13 different SkillsUSA Contests in the Regionals (we belong to Region 3, there's a total of 6 regions in California) during Saturdays in January - February but lost in 2 (Architectural Drafting and Electronics Technology). I had to read/learn all the rules, plus make sure I tracked each student's deadlines for resumes and contests”.
What would you like to say to students in terms of joining SkillsUSA and the benefits of it?
“SkillsUSA is an experience that students should not miss. Its goal is to prepare students to be equipped with the essential skills they need to get employed or further their education after highschool. I have seen a multitude of transformation in students who have been actively involved with SkillsUSA. They have become more confident, especially in the areas of public speaking. Over-all, members have honed their personal skills such as self-motivation, work ethic and responsibility to name a few. So grab the opportunity to be a part of it!”
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