Her vocation is early childhood

LYNN – Lynn Vocational and Technical Institute junior Joia Donnelly has conquered the regionals. Now, she?s onto the states.Donnelly?s not running track, or playing basketball, however. She is competing in a different category: the SkillsUSA competition, which is billed as a “vocational school Olympics” by advisor Jason McCuish, a teacher at the school.She won the regionals, held late. last month at Keefe Tech in Framingham, in the Early Childhood category, and will compete in the state competition April 30 and May 1-2.This is Donnelly?s second go-around with SkillsUSA. She competed last year in the regionals and finished 12th. This year, although she didn?t know what to expect, she topped the field.?For me to win this year, it?s breathtaking,” she said. ” I can?t even find the words to describe it. I get to move on. I get to go to states. I get to represent my shop. I get to represent my school.”Donnelly brought home one of Lynn Tech?s 10 medals. Others went to Guadalupe Guerrero, Asheley Nival, Ajhanel Rhoden, Ovidio Merida, Zach Zimiroski, Samir Usumann, Marco Cuellar, Rosai Palmer and Liono Kou.SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization that not only services high school students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical or health care professions, but offers annual conferences that features a wide variety of competitions including leadership, carpentry, health tech and early childhood.Doing everything to make sure his students were well-prepared for the competition, McCuish printed out packets of information, and offered students encouraging words of wisdom.?He told us to go out there and try our best no matter what. It was cheesy,” joked Donnelly.Resiliency has become synonymous with Tech?s SkillsUSA program, McCuish said.During last year?s state competition, Tech?s SkillsUSA program won a community service award, acknowledging its efforts throughout Lynn. The team, however, fell short of first place by only two points.Although, McCuish was proud of his team, he knew his students could do better. While other teams might get discouraged in defeat, or think of ways to change their strategies, McCuish?s game plan remained the same. His group just needed to show resiliency, he said..Health Tech junior Ajhanel Rhoden, who finished third in the jeopardy-structured Health Knowledge Bowl, agrees, and believes that a little positivity can go a long way.?You have to have the right mindset,” said Rhoden. “If you go in there with a negative mindset, you are not going to be motivated to do your best. To be in a positive mindset, you are already picturing yourself winning.”Although winning serves as a fulfilment of sorts, being able to experience and participate in a competition of this caliber is an achievement in itself. According to Health Tech junior Samir Usumann, the competition forced students out of their comfort zone. Not only did the competition teach students skills needed to stand out as an individual, it also showed the importance of teamwork. Priding itself in teaching skills needed to succeed in the workplace, SkillsUSA manifest skills that transcends the competition.?It taught me how to speak up in public,” said Samir Ususmann. “That?s a skill that I am going to need throughout life.”Donnelly said that public speaking is also a skill that she acquired through participating in SkillsUSA. She also says the program has also made her a better person.?Skills has made me a better person community-wise,” said Donnelly. “After all of the things we did – volunteering at shelters and stuff like that – I now go out and volunteer myself.”As Lynn Tech students look forward to cheering Donnelly and others at the SkillsUSA state competition, one thing is certain: After years of disappointment, and coming up short, win or lose, 2015 is looking to be the year of the Tiger.