Biomedical students, center, from left, Makayla Zajdel, Zanab Iqbal and Savera Ahsan take the blood pressures of Danielle Munn, left, and Sierra Payne during an open house and SkillsUSA competition at Worcester Technical High School in Newark, last Saturday.

By Kara Hallissey, Staff Writer

(Feb. 15, 2018) Approximately 200 visitors attended an open house and SkillsUSA competition at Worcester Technical High School in Newark, last Saturday morning.

“It was a really great day,” said Rick Stephens, a teacher and SkillsUSA advisor. “There was a lot of people coming in and out. We gave quite a few tours and they were pretty full.”

About 130 Worcester County Public School students competed in 32 different trades and contests during the SkillsUSA competition, which included cosmetology, nursing, welding, engineering, carpentry, HVAC and automotive. There were also culinary contests for baking and pastry making.

Stephens said about 100 students will move on to the state competition, scheduled to take place April 13-14 in Anne Arundel County.

They will compete against at least 1,000 other students in leadership categories such as job interviews, business meetings and customer service as well as welding, carpentry, crime scene investigations, cosmetology, nursing, culinary and team competitions.

Worcester Technical High School offers 29 programs county students can participate in on its campus in Newark, Maryland. Scheduling at Worcester Technical High School takes place this month and the deadline to complete an online application for next school year is today, Feb. 16.

“We serve 40 percent of high school students in the county for a program of study,” said Caroline Bloxom, principal of Worcester Technical High School. “Many kids come out of programs here with a license or certification that can help them with their career.”

For more information, visit worcestertechhs.com or call 410-632-5050