| Back in June, Maplewood senior Trista Robinson was thrilled to take home a silver medal at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference representing the state of Pennsylvania and the Crawford County Career and Technical Center. “I was just thrilled to get silver,” Robinson said about where she finished in the Estheticians category, which concentrates on skin care and make-up. But hold your horses. When her teacher, Kristen Deets, got her scores, she and Robinson noticed something that wasn’t quite right. She had lost 10 points for a missing resume. They knew they had submitted the resume because it was a bit of a pain sending the material over good old-fashioned northwest Pennsylvania broadband. |   |
They were so concerned about it in fact, that they had called to confirm the materials, including the resume, had been received.
Those materials had to be submitted before the in-person competition in Atlanta, Georgia.
“We honestly didn’t think about it when we got down (to the competition,)” Robinson said, knowing everything was submitted. At the end of the competition only six points separated her from the winner. The ten point resume deduction cost her gold.
“At that point it didn’t matter (to me) I knew I won and that was good enough,” Robinson said noting she didn’t think anything would be done about it.
Deets contacted the SkillUSA program director about the discrepancy and upon reviewing the material, it was determined Robinson was indeed the winner.
Those materials had to be submitted before the in-person competition in Atlanta, Georgia.
“We honestly didn’t think about it when we got down (to the competition,)” Robinson said, knowing everything was submitted. At the end of the competition only six points separated her from the winner. The ten point resume deduction cost her gold.
“At that point it didn’t matter (to me) I knew I won and that was good enough,” Robinson said noting she didn’t think anything would be done about it.
Deets contacted the SkillUSA program director about the discrepancy and upon reviewing the material, it was determined Robinson was indeed the winner.
So on September 30, at 1 p.m. Chelle Travis, the SkillsUSA executive director will be presenting Robinson her award in person during a special ceremony at the Crawford Technical facility.
Robinson and her mom Chelby are impressed the top dog of the organization is driving up from Virginia for this. Chelby is thrilled about her daughter's accomplishment recognition but noted the mistake stole a little of her daughter’s thunder in not getting recognized in front of thousands of people in Atlanta.
“It was like a concert arena,” Robinson said of getting her silver award in June.
“When my category came up I couldn’t look, I just put my head down when they began naming the top three (finalists,)" she said. “When they said Pennsylvania, I was, like... crying.”
She mentioned that she may enter the international competition in 2024 in France, but for now she is happy to keep her nation's best talents close to home and keep working with her mom at Chelby’s Tanning and Hair Garage in Townville.
Robinson and her mom Chelby are impressed the top dog of the organization is driving up from Virginia for this. Chelby is thrilled about her daughter's accomplishment recognition but noted the mistake stole a little of her daughter’s thunder in not getting recognized in front of thousands of people in Atlanta.
“It was like a concert arena,” Robinson said of getting her silver award in June.
“When my category came up I couldn’t look, I just put my head down when they began naming the top three (finalists,)" she said. “When they said Pennsylvania, I was, like... crying.”
She mentioned that she may enter the international competition in 2024 in France, but for now she is happy to keep her nation's best talents close to home and keep working with her mom at Chelby’s Tanning and Hair Garage in Townville.
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