More than 70 high school students will represent Capital Region BOCES on March 18 in a regional competition that challenges the professional skills of more than 350 students from the Capital Region, North Country, Hudson Valley, and beyond.

The 2024 Area III SkillsUSA Competition will feature students from dozens of schools testing their skills in 32 events ranging from baking to nursing, and diesel engine repair to heavy equipment operation.

This year’s competition, according to a release from BOCES, has the most student participation in its history and will take place at the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education Center – Albany Campus on March 18.

Students said they are looking forward to the event.

“I have a talent for math and I enjoy competing, so I am representing Capital Region BOCES in the technical math competition,” said Yousif Alsammarraie, a Network Technology junior from Bethlehem, in the release.

Students from nearly every Capital Region high school will be taking part in the events at both locations, hoping to advance to represent their region at the New York State SkillsUSA competition in late-April.

Some students are competing for the second year and hope to best their results from last year.

“I had a great time competing last year and I look forward to placing better than I did at states,” said Sadie Place in the release. She is a Digital Media Design senior from Berne-Knox-Westerlo who won the regional competition last year and placed well in the New York State SkillsUSA competition.

The New York State SkillsUSA competition takes place in Syracuse in late April.

Local students in the competition include:

— Yousif Alsammarraie, Network Cabling Technology, related technical math, Bethlehem;

— Soleil Asamoah, Criminal Justice, criminal justice, Guilderland;

— Brian Barnett, Electrical Trades, electrical wiring, Guilderland;

— Connor Broomhall, Electrical Trades Technology, electrical wiring, Guilderland;

— T.J. Caron, Criminal Justice, criminal justice, Berne-Knox-Westerlo;

— Faith Coates, Global Fashion, prepared speech, Berne-Knox-Westerlo;

— David Danker, Automotive Trades Technology, auto service technology, Guilderland;

— Kailee Fletcher, Criminal Justice, crime scene investigation, Guilderland;

— Mason Hommel, Automotive Trades, auto service technology, Bethlehem;

— Cody Hosgood, HVAC/R, HVAC, Voorheesville;

— Kennedy Aniella, Cosmetology, cosmetology senior, Guilderland;

— Elliot Martinez, Network Technology, prepared speech, Bethlehem;

— Sadie Plant, Digital Media, advertising design, Berne-Knox-Westerlo;

— Evan Thomas, Network Technology, extemporaneous speaking, Berne-Knox-Westerlo;

— Andrew Trowel, Auto Services, auto vehicle main basic, Bethlehem; and

— Alaina Williams, Electrical Trades, job skill demo open, Guilderland.