By: Maisie Suttton. NYS Reporter
Last posted: October 24, 2009 10:56 AM
2009 National Conference from a Voting Delegate’s Point of View
Grand Island, Officer Training
WLTI experience through NYS President Brian Garcia’s Point of View
The aspect that I felt I related to the most was the war memorials. Because of being an Army dependent I always felt close to the military and have studied these wars in depth and to see the names on the Vietnam wall of those who gave their lives to defend the freedom and natural rights of those in domestic and foreign lands I was greatly touched. The Korean War memorial was quite frankly spooky because you could see the pictures that were taken during the war, and off the wall you could see the reflection of the statues that were built next to the wall of a group of infantry soldiers and the look on their faces was pure fright.
The Key note speaker was a retired Lt. Col. of the USMC. Junior Ortiz's life had an eerie resemblance to mine. We are both Puerto Rican and we both have lived in New York. He attended the US Naval Academy I am applying to the US Military Academy. We both box. After his speech I got to meet him personally and he was as impressed as I was with the similarities of our lives. Because of this amazingly strong connection, he gave me his Marine Coin, which is a coin you can only get once and that is when you graduate the Marine Basic training. I was very touché as he told me that this was to be a reminder of what I could accomplish in life.
WLTI experience through Area VI VP Ally Simeone’s Point of View
I am greatly appreciative that I was given the opportunity to take this trip to Washington D.C. for the Washington Leadership Training Institute (WLTI). This trip was an all together terrific experience. While in Washington I got to travel to many different sites where I gathered information and developed leadership skills and a greater appreciation of American history. Some examples of the memorials to our history are: the Lincoln, WWII, Vietnam, FDR, and Pentagon memorials, Arlington Cemetery, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Holocaust Museum and SkillsUSA Headquarters.
During this time not only did I get to see these sites but I got to view, in a new way, what my past leaders have done. I learned things I can do to help lead my home chapter of SkillsUSA and make a difference. This trip included a lot of hard work. I sometimes felt stressed out while in Washington D.C. because of all the work that had to be completed but the outcome of this trip was well worth it. While at the Washington Leadership Training Institute I received my National Statesmen pin. This is a pin you are only able to receive if you attend WLTI and no where else. In order to receive this pin I needed to study hard to complete an oral exam throughout the time spent there. I am honored to wear this pin on my blazer.
This trip was an unforgettable experience that not many people get to have in their lifetime. I am one of these few lucky people who got to attend and because of this I am extremely grateful and encourage anyone given this opportunity to get out there and take advantage of it.
WLTI experience through NYS Treasurer Ti’ Ana Brown’s Point of View
The Washington Leadership Training Institute was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. I learned so much from this trip and accomplished something very valuable that a lot of people I know might not ever be able to accomplish. I am very grateful for the opportunity that my friend Ann Marie and I were given. Meeting with our Congressmen Chris Lee was very phenomenal and mind blowing. Personally it gave me a sense of maturity and power knowing that I was representing students who attend career and technical schools all over New York State. I always had an interest in Political Science and that experience made me even more interested in the field. But not only was the meeting wonderful, the whole WLTI experience was awesome. Spending a whole day visiting monuments, museums and just seeing DC with your own eyes is something I am very appreciative of. The Holocaust museum and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier touched me the most because while I was there I can feel the strong energy and sympathy that everyone around me was feeling and giving off. We were all there for the same reason to honor and respect the people who lives were sacrificed. The Pentagon Memorial was so beautiful and touched my heart because that was a tragic incident and I actually was around when it happened. It is apart of my history.
But on a lighter note...visiting the Skills USA headquarters in Virginia was so fun and exciting. Where do I start ....the food was amazing, tacos and pulled pork was the perfect combo if you ask me. I got a chance to interact and play games with the students from all over the US including Puerto Rico. I really enjoyed that. The highlight of entertainment for me was the party we had in the hotel ballroom. The DJ was awesome and we all came together and danced all night. I love to dance so that really made my day or night whatever you want to call. If I was granted another chance to attend WLTI I would do it in a heartbeat.
Top: Ally, Taylor, Ti’Ana, Donnie, and Ann Marie; Bottom: Brian Garcia and Taylor 
Fall Leadership from a State Officer POV
The state officer team left for fall leadership on Friday October 30. We had our first meeting at five o’ clock. After that we had fun and went to the Horse Show held at the Syracuse on Center. While we were there we got to know our guest speaker for the event, George Laubmeier “G4”. Saturday was a long day of rehearsing and making sure everything went as planned. Sunday was the same until 4 o’clock. That’s when the other student started showing arriving. Once dinner and opening ceremony was complete then we split off into our IGS groups. In our groups we taught them about Parliamentarian Procedure, Table Manners, and about the Program of Work (POW.) Within each group we did different ice breakers. This is a way for the kids to get up and have some fun. The second day one of the groups invaded the other groups and we started this huge icebreaker. Group I went into S and then from there we went into group G. All together this was an amazing experience. It was long and hard and a lot of hours went into this, but all the students were amazing. On Monday state officers had to perform a patriotic salute. On Tuesday we held the closing ceremony and then soon after we had to depart from our new friends and our new ties. An organization like this can form bonds for a life time.
The state officers performing the patriotic salute, left to right: Khris Bird, Jordian Forney, Maisie Sutton, Ti’Ana Brown, Ally Simeone Margret Maslyn, and Brian Garcia,
Brian Garcia
I am Brian Garcia and was born in Cupey Alto, Puerto Rico. I serve as your NYS President. My father has worked his way up the ranks to become a warrent officer in the greatest army this world has ever seen; The Army of the United States of America. This has made it possible for me to live all over the country. At the age of seven when I first moved out of my home land of Puerto Rico to FT. Hood, Texas, the largest military base in the U.S. It was here that I learned English though it was a struggle within three years it was decided that enough English was mastered to leave the bilingual schools and go into an entire English school. However before I could begin I had to once again pack up and move to FT. Sill, Oklahoma, Home of the Field Artillery. Here is where I got to attend my first all English school. Four years later our family moved once again this time to FT. Drum, New York, where we still resides, five years later. It was here where I realized that the cold and I do not get along, and I love the south. Also it was here where I joined Criminal Justice at Bohlen Tech. and SkillsUSA. I am now applying to attend The United States Military Academy at West Point, and hopefully become an Officer in the US Army like my father who is serving his second tour of duty in Afganastan. Through out my entire life, I have never forgotten my history or the traditions of the Puerto Rican people.
Jordain Forney
Name: Jordain Forney
Position: NYS SkillsUSA State Secretary
Sports: Soccer
Interests: hanging with friends, playing soccer, working, SkillsUSA, FFA, Cows
Unique: I will always put a smile on your face!
Ti'Ana Brown
Hi, my name is Ti'Ana Brown and I am your 2009-2010 New York State Treasurer for Skills USA. I am a senior at Brockport High School; also I attend the WE-MO-CO CTE BOCES in Spencerport. There I am in my 2nd year of cosmetology. I enjoy track and field, but I love watching football and basketball games. My hobbies are dancing, listening to music, reading books, shopping, and being around family and friends. I am very outgoing, funny and enjoy meeting new people. My interests are in history and political science. I would love to attend college at University of Buffalo or Nazareth College.
Maisie Sutton
Hi, my name is Maisie Sutton and I am your SkillsUSA NYS reporter. I currently attend DCMO BOCES in Norwich, NY. I am enrolled in Visual Communications. At my BOCES I am a member of National Technical Honor Society. I am also a class room representative for my local chapter. Within my chapter I help out with a lot of community service. I have done a range of community service projects from food drives to toy of tots, from collecting boxes to making flyers. I love music and I am not a sport person. I love to watch all sports, but I don’t like to play them except in gym class. I get along with everyone that I meet. I love an adventure and I love to try new things. I am hoping to graduate from Oxford Academy this June with an Advanced Regents Diploma and then go on to college. The colleges I am hoping to get into are SUNY Oswego or SUNY Morrisville. In college I want to major in visual communications and minor in journalism. I look forward to serving you and helping you in my year as an officer.
Khris Bird
Hi, my name is Khris Bird and I am your NYS SkillsUSA parliamentarian. I am attending Questar III – REC. There I am taking Auto Tech. I am a reliable, self motivated, very friendly person. I am passionate about my goals in life and riding my motor cycle. My hobbies are riding motorcycle, school, and reading.
Margaret Maslyn
Hey guys I’m Margaret Maslyn. I am the NYS Area I V.P. I go to Finger Lakes Technical and Career Center. I take the Engineering CAD program there. I love to have a good time...no matter what I’m doing! I love to hang with friends and family. I like go boating and jet skiing in the summers. I also love to play lacrosse! I’m very, very outgoing, and always bring a smile to peoples faces no matter what!
Donnie Long
Hi, I’m Donnie Long and I am your NYS Area III SkillsUSA Vice President. I attend Southern Adirondack Education Center where I take Graphic and Visual Communications. I enjoy sports and play baseball all year round, and I look forward to serving you to the best of my ability.
Alexandria Simeone
My name is Alexandria Simeone. I am your Area VI VP. I am 16 years old and a senior at Smithtown High School East. This year I will be completing my second year of Medical Laboratory Assisting at the Dix Hills campus of L.A. Wilson Tech and receiving a two year certificate for the course. I am also currently taking classes for college credit at Farmingdale State University. When I am not at school or a SkillsUSA function I have a job as a waitress at Zans Kosher Deli in Lake Grove. I am anticipating graduating this year from Smithtown with an Advanced Regents Diploma.
College has always been an important goal of mine. I am hoping to be accepted into Hunter University in the fall of 2010 and aspire to major in education. In order to grow as a person I believe you should have the experience of going to college and making your own decisions you have to take responsibility for. SkillsUSA became a big part of my life this past year and will continue to be this year coming up. This organization has done a lot for me and I will do all that I can to give back all it has given me.
2009 National Conference from a Voting Delegate’s Point of View
For most of our delegate team and some competitors, after two plane rides and a very long delay, we finally made it to the 2009 National Conference held in sunny, hot, and beautiful Kansas City, Missouri. After everyone arrived at the hotel, we had an ice cream social meeting to welcome everyone. While the contestants were taking their tests for their competitions, the delegates gathered outside the meeting room with our advisors and talked about the up coming week. Finally the first day came to an end.
For the delegates from nine thirty to noon we had training on parliamentary procedure, SkillsUSA rules, and then what was planned for the week. Then at two pm there was a joint delegate meeting. In this meeting we had many guest speakers come and talk to us; from the Army, who was the sponsor of sessions, Lt. John Irvine; speaking for Federal Student Aid was Mrs. Katherine Coates; From National Technical Honor Society was Mr. Allen Powell. Then Mr. Tim Lawerence, SkillsUSA Executive Director and Mr. Cameron Ferguson, President of SkillsUSA Board of Directors came and talked to us. Mr. Cameron Ferguson talked to us about the Bob Flint Scholarship Awards. Then at four o’clock our Delegate Day had come to an end.
At seven PM the opening ceremony started signaling the official beginning of the 2009 National Conference. With speeches, from Wendy Venturini and Stephen Palleta, music, and flashy lights, Tuesday ended with a bang. Wednesday was packed with meetings. At ten AM we gathered in the delegate room and met the candidates for the national office. There we could ask questions about what we think is important and decide who we want to vote for. Then at noon the delegates had lunch with Mr. Fernandez, Mrs. Collins, and the incoming and currant staff. After some goofy pictures, and a couple serious ones, we headed back to the delegate room for another session of meet the candidates. Then at two we had a business meeting where roll call was taken. Then at three thirty there was a joint session. Within this meeting we listened to more guest speakers; from the World Skills Competition was Mr. Laurant Thibault; Mr. George Laubmeier came up and talked to us as an Alumni Speaker; Ms. Kimberly Bruna came and talked to us about The Muscular Dystrophy Association. Then at seven the Champions Festival started and there we got to meet new people and have fun. Wednesday came to an end.
Thursday at eight we delegates had to attend the SkillsUSA championships ribbon cutting. All delegates were required to attend SkillsUSA Championships, Career Fair, and TECHSPO. Then there was another meet the candidates session where they gave there last speeches and Thursday came to an end. On Friday all the delegates votes for the national officers. Finally, we had free time till six and then we went to the Awards Ceremony to find out the results of the contests and finally flew home, tired, but feeling we had accomplished our task.
Above: Ti’Ana, Brian, Donnie, Jordain, Alexandria, and Maisie having lunch together at Nationals
Below: Jordain, Alexandria, Mr. Fernandez, Brian, Donnie, Ti’Ana, and Maisie
in a formal shot of NY’s Delegates to the National Convention.
Above: Ti’Ana Brown, Brian Garcia, Donnie Long, Jordain Forney, Alexandria Simeone,
and Maisie Sutton showing our “lighter sides.”.
Below: Kemper Arena home of the National SkillsUSA Competitions.
Above: Top row: Ti’Ana, Jordain, and Maisie. Bottom row: Brian, Margaret, Khris, and Donnie.
Below: Ti’Ana, Margaret, Jordain, Donnie, Khris, Maisie, and Brian. (missing Alexandria)
