DUSD students advance in skills competition

DOWNEY - Nearly 140 DUSD students advanced to the state level of the SkillsUSA California Region 3 Leadership & Skills Championship Conference, a competition that tests high school students in areas such as construction, robotics, plumbing, culinary arts, and other real world skills.

DUSD sent 340 students to the regional competition earlier this month, which pitted more than 1,700 students from the Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara and Ventura areas.

Downey students earned 16 gold medals, nine silver medals and 14 bronze medals. An additional 100 Downey students did not medal but received scores higher than other regional contestants, allowing them to advance.

In total, 139 Downey students will compete at the state finals in San Diego in April. It is the most students DUSD has ever sent to the state competition.

"The District SkillsUSA chapters and CTE programs are working hard to provide all of our students with every opportunity to become college and career ready as they move forward into adulthood," said Phil Davis, director of Career Technical Education and K-12 STEM for the Downey school district and former prinicpal of Downey Adult School.

********** Published: Feb. 27, 2014 - Volume 12 - Issue 46