The district winner of a high school HVAC skills contest cranked up the pressure on fellow competitors from 11 other districts for the recent state contest and delivered a cool performance on five tasks to win the event and two scholarships worth $17,500.

Gilberto Correa of Technical College High School’s Pennock’s Bridge campus in West Grove is now headed to the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, later this month.

“I didn’t stress over it, and I had fun,” he said after the unexpected victory. “I also enjoyed meeting the other competitors and students from all over Pennsylvania. I’m very excited about nationals. I’m going to a different place, a different state and I’ll get to meet people from around the country!”

He then plans to get a year of hands-on experience under his belt before taking up the $15,000 scholarship offer from the University of Northwestern Ohio, where he’ll build on what TCHS has taught him about wiring circuits, electrical systems, mechanical systems, plumbing and heating and refrigeration units through book learning, lessons and applications.

Correa also received a $2,500 scholarship to the Pennsylvania College of Technology and a Kobalt multi-drive wrench.

“My dad works in hard labor, and he doesn’t want me to do the same thing,” Correa said. “He was really happy when he found out I won and received a scholarship. His advice for me was to keep trying to become better.”

Correa joins TCHS Brandywine campus students Kevin Fraumeni-Feaster, Kylie Monko and Kaylee Tada on the trip to nationals.

“Participation in SkillsUSA empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens,” local advisor Jim Brunken said. “SkillsUSA improves the quality of America’s skilled workforce through a structured program of citizenship, leadership, employability, technical and professional skills training.”