NORWICH – Norwich High School senior and second year BOCES student Nathaniel Perry said he’s found his time in the Career Technical Education (CTE) program a unique and positive experience. His time as a state reporter for SkillsUSA has only added to his continued educational success.
A partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled work force, according to www.skillsusa.org, the mission of SkillsUSA is to “help its members become world-class workers, leaders and responsible citizens.”
In mid-September, Perry traveled to the Washington Leadership Training Institute in Washington, D.C., accompanied by a group of fellow SkillsUSA representatives.
“Basically we all gathered to meet with congressmen, senators and their offices and share the experiences we’ve had at each of our CTE schools,” said Perry. “It was a lot of fun and it was neat to see their reactions and interest in what we had to say. It was a side they’ve never heard before, first-hand, the impact that CTE schools have had on us.”
Perry, who had the opportunity to meet with Congressman Bill Owens as well as Congressman Michael Arcuri’s education assistant, said SkillsUSA has been “just one more positive experience” he’s enjoyed as a student at BOCES.
“Since I came here I’m learning what I’ve wanted to learn as opposed to what I was forced to learn,” he added.
While visiting the nation’s capital Perry had the opportunity to take in the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, where he and the other SkillsUSA representatives participated in the laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
In addition, Perry and his fellow students received a biography of a 9/11 Pentagon casualty and two pebbles. One to place on a bench bearing the victim’s name – with a promise to set a personal goal – and one to keep for remembrance.
Perry called the experience “kind of saddening and emotional.”
“He’s a really hard-working, dedicated student and he’s pretty creative and self-driven,” said BOCES Visual Communications Instructor and State Officer Advisor for SkillsUSA Sandi Sheldon. “He’s willing to take the initiative and go beyond, he takes on extra projects when asked and he completes them with a degree of excellence.”
Sheldon said Perry, during last year’s SkillsUSA Fall Leadership Conference, caught the attention of one advisor who “saw some leadership qualities” which helped to “take him to the next level.”
As a state reporter for SkillsUSA, Perry is responsible for publicity and maintaining information on the New York State SkillsUSA web site, according to Sheldon, who added the Norwich senior is currently working on a video project, detailing the Washington Leadership Training Institute trip, to be played at this year’s Fall Leadership Conference.
“It was fun and inspiring to see these kids take an interest,” she added.