Correa awarded a $15k scholarship to Northwestern Ohio University, $2,500 scholarship to Penn State College of Technology & Kobalt multi-drive wrench
Gilberto Correa, a senior at Kennett High School, won first place in the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC/R) at the 48th Annual SkillsUSA Pennsylvania Competition, held in Hershey in April. With this first place finish, Correa moves on to the national competition to be held in Louisville, Kentucky, June 22-26.
Gilberto Correa from Kennett High School and the TCHS (left) with Robert Lloyd from Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, a graduate of TCHS. Both will go to the national competition – Correa at the Secondary Level and Lloyd at the Post-secondary.
Gilberto is a student at the Technical College High School (TCHS) Pennock’s Bridge Campus. He qualified to the state competition by finishing first in the regional competition earlier in the year. In order to win at the state level, Correa had to prove his knowledge in writing and in practice. First, contestants took a 50-question test that addressed general and specific aspects of HVAC/R. The second portion of competition included a variety of hands-on tasks.
Gilberto reported on the specific tasks he was required to perform at the state competition. “I had to adjust the manifold pressure on a gas heater, check for leaks and find the number of cubic feet per minute (CFM) flow by using calculated temperature measurements and a mathematical equation. After that I had to wire the 24-volt control circuit on an air-to-air heat pump split system and draw the schematic of it. Next I had to complete a copper tubing project that involved several tubing sizes and different methods of connecting the tubes. My final task was to change the filter-drier on a closed A/C trainer, check for leaks and calculate superheat.”
For his success at the state level, Correa was awarded a $15,000 scholarship to Northwestern Ohio University, a $2500 scholarship to Penn State College of Technology, and a Kobalt 15-piece multi-drive wrench.
Reflecting on his time in Hershey, Gilberto remarked, “My overall experience was great. I had a lot of fun and liked the challenge that was put to us. I got to meet people and during the competition I got to see what I fully knew and what I can practice and learn better. For the rest of the year now I am practicing at TCHS for the SkillsUSA National Competition.”
The SkillsUSA web site details specifics of the contest at nationals: “The contest includes a series of testing stations designed to assess skills identified by industry HVACR standards. Industry equipment used during the work stations portion of the contest may include but is not limited to: ice machines, refrigerated display cases, small package HVAC units, furnaces and split-system air conditioning and/or heat pump units and geothermal units.”
“The SkillsUSA Championships is the showcase for the best career and technical students in the nation. Contests begin locally and continue through the state and national levels. This is a multi-million dollar event that occupies a space equivalent to 16 football fields. In 2014, there were nearly 6,000 contestants in 98 separate events. Nearly 1,500 judges and contest organizers from labor and management make the national event possible. The philosophy of the Championships is to reward students for excellence, to involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and to keep training relevant to employers’ needs.”
Gilberto Correa is the son of Eduardo and Eva Correa of Kennett Square. His instructor at TCHS is Bart Heagy and his SkillsUSA adviser is James Brunken.
For more information contact Anne Carroll, Publicity Director – Kennett High School, 610-444-6620 X35414, acarroll@kcsd.org.
