BOCES Barry Tech student elected to statewide office


A BOCES student from the Baldwin school district has been elected historian of SkillsUSA, a career and technical student

organization.

Michenka Juin, 17, who is a nurse assisting student at BOCES Barry Tech, was elected to the post in the New York state service organization.

SkillsUSA encourages collaboration among students, teachers and industry professionals to provide programs, events and competitions that support career and technical education, with the goal of creating a skilled workforce.

Michenka, who moved to Baldwin from Queens in the fourth grade with her family, said, “At any meeting or conference I record what we we’ve learned, and what we had to do to get there.”

That information goes into book with photos from the event, and gets passed down to next historian, she said.

Michenka, the daughter of Marie and Carlo Juin, said she first ran for office in the local chapter at school, but lost.

“After losing, I had the ambition to go after the New York State office,” she said.


Besides fulfilling her role as a state officer in SkillsUSA, which boasts a national membership of about 300,000 students and advisers, Michenka helped train the next generation of local SkillsUSA officers at the 2015 New York State Leadership Conference, held in Syracuse recently.

Being elected historian is meaningful to Michenka, she said.

“I’m not as shy anymore,” she said. “I’m able to expose my knowledge.”


BOCES Barry Tech gives students a head start in training for employment, and provides direction to those who plan to attend college.


Michenka also recommended that students consider attending a school like Barry Tech.

“If your school is able to support you, attend a career technical education school,” she advised.