SkillsUSA chapter officers and members from throughout New York state attended the fall conference from November 7-9, 2021. Previously at the SkillsUSA Summer Leadership meeting, NYS officers decided that Golisano Children’s Hospital would be the beneficiary of this year’s fall fundraising activity.

Participants were limited as to what they could do for fundraising as a result of COVID restrictions. They decided that member representatives could sell coloring sheets. Business was brisk with students buying, selling, coloring, and decorating their hotel conference rooms with the finished works. At $1 per sheet, $1,789 was raised.

After the conference, WEMOCO’s SkillsUSA officers visited Golisano Children’s Hospital. Presenting the check from left to right are WEMOCO SkillsUSA Lead Advisor Jennifer Probst, junior class Treasurer Ryan Frank, junior class Secretary Ally McGonnell, NYS SkillsUSA Director Midge McCloskey, and Golisano Hospital Child Life Manager Wendy Lane.

SkillsUSA is comprised of teens, so the organization asked that the donation be used specifically for the teen birthday fund. According to Wendy Lane, “We often have teens in the hospital over their birthdays, and we find ways to acknowledge this, hoping to lift their spirits. These teens are not interested in toys, so we’ll use these funds to get them something they would like. We have to rely on the community to provide these extras that improve the quality of life for hospitalized teens and for children too.”

According to Ryan Frank, participants at the conference “bought so many coloring sheets because they knew what the funds were going to be used for.” Even though attendance was lower, they raised almost the same amount for a donation as the last pre-COVID conference.

Ryan and Ally were among five WEMOCO SkillsUSA chapter officers who attended the fall conference. Ryan said the conference was “by students and for students. We focused on developing leadership skills. What we learned will help us shorten the gap in learning needed skills when going from school to the work world.”

Shown here is WEMOCO’s SkillsUSA delegation to the fall conference. From left to right are junior class Treasurer Ryan Frank; junior class Secretary Ally McGonnell; teacher and Advisor Mark Chase; NYS SkillsUSA Chief Financial Officer and Membership Coordinator Rachael Piccolo; teacher and Advisor Raeann Materise; junior class Reporter Jorge Ruiz; junior class President Kaylin Woodin; teacher, WEMOCO lead Advisor, and NYS Officer Advisor Jennifer Probst; and NYS Officer Secretary Emma D’Ettorre.