Fender painted by Devin Erwin in the Skills USA Competition in the Auto Body category (Contributed by Devin Erwin)
By DEVIN ZERBE
Student contributor
On Jan. 17, selected students attending the Venango Technology Center in Oil City participated in the Skills USA District 10 conference.
The students were given different tasks, depending on what trade they are studying, and judged on their efficiency and performance.
Devin Erwin participated in the Auto Body Refinishing section. When asked what his favorite part was, he said that he enjoyed the process of repainting the car, and that he’ll definitely be back again to compete next year.
Of the many students attending, five were Cranberry High School students, each one performing in a different category: Andrew Jordan in electronics technology, Savanha Scott in restaurant service, Brian Russell in precision machining, Lindy Boocks in culinary arts, and Devin Erwin in automotive refinishing.
Three of these students placed in the conference: Andrew Jordan won a silver medal in electronics; Savanha Scott earned a bronze medal in restaurant service; and Devin Erwin won a 4th place in automotive refinishing.
Andrew Jordan said, “I was worried about the competition there, but I tried my hardest, and I’m proud of how I did.”
The individual competitions between departments were based on real work applications. Only first place finishers move on to the state level, but Cranberry’s students are set to return and determined to make it to states in next year’s Skills USA competition.
Devin Zerbe is a student at Cranberry High School and a member of Cranberry Chronicles, the school’s journalism/publications class.
