WESTFIELD – Westfield Technical Academy has announced its first ever gold medal champion at the SkillUSA State Finals that were held on April 29 and 30 in Marlborough, Mass. Christian Verdon won a gold medal in electrical wiring for Industrial Motor Control, which qualifies him for the national competition in Louisville, Kentucky June 20-24.
Verdon, who is a school choice junior from West Springfield, won with his execution of what he called “a regular, motor-control project like any I’d do at a regular day at the shop.”
WESTFIELD – Westfield Technical Academy junior Christian Verdon won the school’s first gold medal at the SkillsUSA state competition last weekend, qualifying him for a spot in the nationals in June. (Photo by Amy Porter)
“I’m excited. I’m the only one ever to go to nationals from this school. I’m proud to be the first one to be going,” Verdon said. As a gold medal winner, he was given a ticket to the competition in Kentucky, and a scholarship for the New England Institute of Technology.
Verdon said his mother and grandmother will most likely join him on the trip. SkillsUSA club advisor David Tefft said he won’t go if Verdon has family with him, but the school will help to send him.
Verdon said he first became interested in electrical wiring through music. His father used to always play electric guitars, and encouraged him to put them together. He continued to play through middle school, but became more interested in the physical aspects than the instrumental.
He said he chose Westfield Technical Academy because it offered the shop he wanted.
Now, Verdon’s goal is an electrical journeyman’s license, and to work for an industrial commercial business, or to start his own company.
“It’s more of the higher level thinking, which is what I like,” Verdon said.
If Verdon wins gold at the state championship, he would then be invited to compete at the international championship to be held in the United Arab Emirates in November.
Devon Doiron, who received a gold medal at the regional competition in Collision Repair Technology, won a silver medal at the state finals.
Also participating in the states were Amber St. Denis in Commercial Baking, Sam Crevier and Dimitry Kostenko in Carpentry, Sean Crawford in Electrical Construction Wiring, and Duffy Muller and Ben McCann as a team in Web Design.
“If you see any of these students throughout the day please congratulate them on a job well done. Watching the competitions I saw students focused, determined, and well on their way to success in their trade area,” said Tefft in an announcement to the school this week.
“Westfield Technical Academy is proud of their accomplishments,” said Principal Stefan Czaporowski.
