LYNN — It was a “Cinderella” story for the Lynn Vocational Technical Institute SkillsUSA team after they brought home national gold last Friday.
Seven members of the Lynn team, along with advisor Jason McCuish and co-advisor Claire Price, were shocked to find out they were getting not one, but three gold medal team awards at the National SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Ky. They brought home the gold for the community service award, the community action award and were recognized as the National Outstanding Model of Excellence.
“It was a real Cinderella moment being able to bring home that gold,” said Tech Chapter President David Barrios,18. “We brought home seven individual gold medals, every one of us who competed won gold, and we were also recognized with the golden standard of the President’s Volunteer Service Award for service to our country.”
The high school team struck gold once again when, to his surprise, McCuish won the title for national SkillsUSA advisor of the year in his sixth year with the chapter. Last year McCuish was recognized as the state advisor of the year and this past January he received the same recognition on a regional level.
“It was pretty special,” said McCuish. “I don’t do any of this for the accolades, I do it for these guys.”
Edward Cuevas, 19, who graduated from the high school last month, said he and his peers were “on the hunt” for gold when they arrived in Louisville on July 2. After not bringing home any gold at last year’s competition, Cuevas said it was a dream of a lifetime being able to end his Tech career on such a high note.
The Tech chapter competed against teams from every other state, Barrios said. There were more than 20,000 participants at the competition.
SkillsUSA is a national partnership, with chapters all over the country, formed by students, teachers and industries working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce, said McCuish. The Lynn chapter creates dozens of programs every school year.
One project that stuck out to Barrios the most was the 911 Project the team took part in two years ago. They hosted a donation where team members created snack packs and delivered them to Lynn’s first responders on Sept. 11.
“It was amazing to see those grown men and women in tears over our efforts,” said Barrios.
Barrios said SkillsUSA not only promotes education, but it promotes students going into trades and pushes for community service projects that better the city. He called the program life changing and said, without a doubt, if it wasn’t for SkillsUSA, he would not be the person he is today.
Cuevas said the program taught him to value things and show integrity for his community. Even more important, he said McCuish taught him to be a man. When his own family was not around, Cuevas said he always had McCuish to turn to.
“It’s so nice to hear them say that,” said McCuish. “I always tell them that I grew up with people telling me to get out of Lynn if I ever wanted to be successful. If every successful person in Lynn left, there would be no one around to stand up for the community.”
The Tech chapter was also recognized with the 2019 Excellence in Literacy Leadership Award by the Celebrate Literacy Day Committee. The program will receive the award at the 7th Annual Celebrate Literacy Day event at the Visiting Nursing Association rooftop on Aug. 21.
