Pictured above: The SkillsUSA Leadership Team for Warwick: Front Row (L-R): Daylan Garcia-Lopez, Hailey Giles, Victoria Gedney, Gianna Gioffreda (State Officer), Jaden Brown, and Sadie Scotti; Back Row (L-R): Benjamin Durand, Lucas LeClair, Jordan Espino-McCaffrey, Mia St. Laurent, Reeve Rapson, and Damien St. Laurent
WARWICK, RI -- In front of peers, industry teachers, support staff, and district administrators, 112 students from the Warwick Area Career and Technical Center (WACTC) received awards on January 28, 2026 for accomplishments with Skills USA in-house competitions completed earlier this month. These career and technical education (CTE) students now advance to, and will represent the school, in this year's State Leadership Skills Conference held at various locations around Rhode Island in February and March.
From there, any gold medalist will go on to represent the school and state of RI at the National Leadership Skills Conference being held in Atlanta, Georgia this June. Extensive fundraising through WACTC, inclusive of candle sales, a breakfast at Dave's Bar & Grill, and the annual Golf Tournament each Spring, enable all eligible CTE students to attend the National Conference at little to no cost.
Warwick Schools Superintendent, William McCaffrey, and Executive Director of Secondary Education, Timothy Kane, were present on Wednesday to address and congratulate the recognized CTE students along with those assembled at the ceremony. McCaffrey and Kane are former directors of the Warwick Area Career and Technical Center - and each know the SkillsUSA program with its benefits for students very well. Both of the men stressed their support and admiration for all who took the advantageous step of competing in-house. "Keep up the great work and keep making us proud" McCaffrey noted, with similar sentiments expressed by Kane, before both men shook hands with students on stage.
Frank Galligan, the present Director of the Warwick Area Career and Technical Center, expressed his appreciation for McCaffrey and Kane - along with thanks to Warwick's CTE instructors. He also praised Jill Shurtleff and Chris Bianco, the SkillsUSA faculty co-advisors, with continuously giving students an opportunity to showcase the many skills and talents being fostered in Warwick's career and technical education sector. "Our kids have a tremendous amount of support behind them and we're excited for what lies ahead" Galligan shared as he gathered the student leadership team together for a group photo.
Congratulations to the students recognized for their work with SkillsUSA thus far:
Commercial Baking:
Gianna Gioffreda & Aiden Jutras - with assistants: Elani Fernandes & Rebecca Vargas Morales
Electrical Construction and Wiring:
Brady Amaral, Gavin Lily, & Reece Quinn
Industrial Motor Control:
Analicia Malmstrom, Zachary Pacheco, & Samantha Spooner
Emergency Medical Technician:
Jazmyn Downs & Alex Rodriguez-Kelley
Basic Healthcare Skills:
Yulianey Mendez, Arianna Parillo, & Sadie Scotti
Career & Technical Educator:
Emma Burrows
Action Skills:
Stephanie Pratt, Hannah Callen, & Joshua Volpe
Early Childhood Education:
Victoria Gedney & Maxx Jolly
Job Skill Demo Open:
Jacob Philibert, Jacob Scott-Kroll, & Liam McGloin
Automotive Refinishing:
Serena Handy, Braeden Geer, & Zachary Sylvia
Customer Service:
Lucas LeClair, Mia St. Laurent, & Madeline Murray
Electronics Technology:
Jude Ladino, Jonathan Leibler, & Dameon St. Laurent
Entrepreneurship:
Gavin Rossi, Daylan Garcia-Lopez, Kayden Crowley, & Noah Almeida
First Aid/CPR:
Aubrie Sousa, Navaeh Lavender, & Arianna Morrill
Culinary Arts:
Richard Desmarais & Anthony Morales, with assistants: Tyler Hartley & Ava Bajakian
Restaurant Services:
Lilliana Lunsmann, Alexiana Medeiros, & Camila Restrep-Gonzalez
Information Technology Services:
Caidan Dill, Matthew Brunelle, & Gianni Spaziano
Medical Math:
Aaron Stanley
Job Skill Demo A:
Dante Frechette, Molly LaTour, & Mathew Harrold
Nursing Assisting:
Hannah Scolaro, Avery Medeiros, & Tessa Lage
Additive Manufacturing:
Benjamin Durand & Michael Davis
Architectural Drafting:
Kayden Tong, Gabriel Quinones, & Christopher Casio
Technical Drafting:
Andrew Flyntz, Jonathan Curry, & Alexis Fitzgerald
Emergency Medical Technician:
Jazmyn Downs & Alex Rodriguez-Kelley
Automotive Service Technology:
Jayden Bottella, Colby Nunes, & Owen McCaw
Job Interview:
Glenn Marmol, Madison Rivers, & Evan Oldrid
Pin Design:
Enya Day-Reyes & Cali Hidalgo Stafford
Photography:
Loudianne Goncalves, Riley Moore, & Sophia D'Angelo
Advertising & Design:
Eleanor Calcagni, Shawna O'Brien, & Lilah Carey
Marine Technology:
Francis Cronin & Tyler Frigon
Welding:
Aiden Giesinger, James Williamson, & Elijah Larney
Welding Sculpture:
Hayley Clemm, Nicholas Bergeron, & Shay Lukenbill
Carpentry:
Blake Smith, Kevin Tran, & Wyatt Bentley
T-Shirt Design:
Michael James & Jobe Merida
Biotechnology Teams:
Ainsley Ottilige, Laryssa Farrell, Jillian Mastrostefano, Emilia Koopman, Alayna Bowser, Lily Farrell, Anthony Lech, Joel VanLuinen, Sid Mendez, & Kaylie Martell
Teamworks:
Brody Briggs, Landon Benevides, Cael Shanley, & Daniel Morin
Cosmetology:
Jaden Brown, Sofia Rodas, & Roseana Diaz
Nail Care:
Grace Ventura, Declan DeGuzman, & Demetria Manzo
Esthetics:
Erin Peixoto, Victoria Zisserson, & Riley Prum
For questions about SkillsUSA and Warwick's affiliation, please contact Mrs. Jill Shurtleff or Mr. Christopher Bianco, the program's faculty co-advisors.
Interested in learning more about the Warwick Area Career and Technical Center - or becoming part of our success story as a future student? Please call us at (401) 734-3150. We look forward to speaking with you!
Click here to return to the Career and Technical Center home page - or, stay 'in the know' with our complete calendar of events for the '25-'26 school year here.