Carson High School graduate Hayden Breiter received a Skill Point certificate at the 2022 SkillsUSA Championships on June 23 in Atlanta for demonstrating proficiency in restaurant service.
Hospitality has been in Carson High School graduate Hayden Breiter’s nature since he was 5 and he first began watching the Food Network with his mother. He loved to play host, and he put his passion and preparation to good use learning how to become a waiter.
Now he’s been recognized at one of the highest levels demonstrating his skills in the culinary arts by competing in June at the 2022 SkillsUSA Championships in Atlanta. Breiter received a Skill Point certificate in Restaurant Service after competing June 23 showing proficiency in his occupational specialty.
“The state level was kind of cementing in what I already knew about restaurant service like napkin folding and table setting and leading from the left and taking from the right,” Breiter told the Appeal. “For nationals, we practiced a good amount. It was multiple, multiple hours for napkin folding and preparation went into tableside Caesar salad (service).”
Under the direction of CHS SkillsUSA adviser Kasey Kemmet, Breiter and a group of four classmates competed first at the ProStart restaurant competition at the state level before going to Atlanta, where competitors where honored June 24 at the ceremony at State Farm Arena, sponsored by partner Frontdoor, Inc., with keynote speaker Darren Keefe of HGTV.
"More than 5,200 students from every state in the nation participated in the 2022 SkillsUSA Championships," said SkillsUSA Executive Director Chelle Travis. "This showcase of career and technical education demonstrates SkillsUSA at its finest. Our students, instructors and industry partners work together to ensure that every student excels. This program expands learning and career opportunities for our members."
Students were invited to the event to demonstrate their technical, workplace and personal skills in 108 hands-on occupational and leadership competitions including robotics, automotive technology, drafting, criminal justice, aviation maintenance and public speaking. Industry leaders from 650 businesses, corporations, trade associations and unions planned and evaluated contestants against their standards for entry-level workers. Industry support of the SkillsUSA Championships is valued at more than $36 million in donated time, equipment, cash and material. More than 1,100 industry judges and technical committee members participated this year.
Breiter said the competition began at 8 a.m. and was done at about 2 p.m., with himself being among the last to participate and calling it a “pretty tough” competition.
“It was very stressful,” he said. “I felt OK. I knew I wasn’t going to be first, but I would be happy with my place.”
But now that he’s back home in Carson City, he’s returned to his new job with the Nashville Social Club, which opens soon, and for which he was hired before graduating. He will be working as a waiter, a chance to put his skills to use.
“This is my first time doing this,” he said. “It’ll be a learning opportunity. The chef told me he believed in me and thought I could do this.”
Breiter said for other students trying to figure out how to put their own talents to use or get involved, there’s always a place for everybody, especially in SkillsUSA. The championships event is held annually for students in middle school, high school or college/postsecondary programs as part of the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference. The national, nonprofit partnership of students, instructors and industry is a verified talent pipeline for America's skilled workforce that is working to help solve the skills gap.
“SkillsUSA has a competition for everybody, and if you are good at one thing, I guarantee there’s something you will be good at and can compete,” Breiter said. “I’ve competed with thespians. I was a state thespian. Whatever it is, if you want to compete at Carson High, there’s FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), HOSA (Future Health Professionals), SkillsUSA, FFA (Future Farmers of America), thespians and I like competing. … So if they have even have a little bit of a talent, which obviously everyone does have a talent or they just get want to get involved in the clubs, it’s a good place.”
Carson High School also offers workplace development opportunities through its Career and Technical Education program and work-based learning curriculum. For more information, contact Josh Billings, Carson High School vice principal – CTE, jbillings@carson.k12.nv.us, or Candi Ruf, CTE coordinator, cruf@carson.k12.nv.us, for more information about CTE programs. For more information about work-based learning in the Carson City School District, contact Marc Rodina, work-based learning coordinator, mrodina@carson.k12.nv.us.
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