Three Butler Vo-Tech students placed at the Skills USA State Competition (left to right) Paul Blair lll, Angelo Rondinelli and Austin McGuire at the Butler County Vo-Tech on Thursday April 27.

BUTLER TWP — Three Butler County Vocational Technical School seniors were among the best in the state at a recent technical skills competition.

Paul Blair III, a home-schooler from Center Township, placed first in automotive service technology at the SkillsUSA state competition held last week in Hershey.

Angelo Rondinelli, who goes to Karns City High School, placed first in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration, and Austin McGuire, also a student at Karns City, placed third in plumbing. Eleven vo-tech students competed after advancing from a District 10 event earlier in the school year.

Blair and Rondinelli will travel to Louisville, Ky., in June to compete in the national competition.

Rondinelli said for the HVAC competition, participants bring meters, hand tools and safety equipment and have to quickly diagnose problems with copper tubing, gas furnaces and air conditioning units.

Similarly, the auto repair competition includes quickly identifying and correcting problems with an engine or brake system.

All three students said that they have had a positive experience studying at vo-tech for the past two years and plan to use the skills they have acquired to move into a career or a two-year training program after graduating.

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