FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
by Jaime Rebello
Elijah, Adam, Audrey, and Emily Moniz know all about sibling rivalry. Growing up in a family of ten kids, there was plenty of competition for attention. But these days, the competition isn’t about trying to outdo each other—it’s about working together to outdo the competition. This June 19-23, the four Moniz siblings—Elijah, Adam, Audrey, and Emily— will be traveling to Louisville, KY, to compete in the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference.
For Elijah, a senior in the Carpentry-Cabinetmaking Shop, the journey began his freshmen year, when he competed in the Jobs Skills Demonstration at both the Regional and State Levels. While he didn’t medal at States, he did sign on as a Voting Delegate, earning him his first trip to Nationals. Then, in his sophomore year, Elijah joined the Chapter Business Procedure Team. His team won gold, qualifying him for the National Conference as a sophomore, and then again as a junior.
This year, returning for his fourth and last time, he will be joined by his siblings: Adam, a junior in the Drafting Program, Audrey, a sophomore in the Business Technology Program, and Emily, a freshman in the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Program. The three younger Moniz siblings are members of Diman’s Opening and Closing Ceremony Team. With help from their faculty advisors Mr. Jonathan Root and Mrs. Jessica Fiola-Tavares, they scored a gold medal at the State Conference in April. Now, all four will be packing their bags for Kentucky next month.
Elijah, as the Skills USA veteran, has some advice to share with his brother and two sisters: “Make the best of this experience. SkillsUSA is an amazing opportunity that helps create a stronger bond with your friends, teachers, advisors, and the school as a whole. It can be stressful with all the hard work and long hours, going to practice at six in the morning and then again after school, and having to study at night. But when the moment comes, I know you will all be amazing, no matter the outcome. So put on that red blazer, tie that tie or bow tie, and know the gold medal is out there waiting for you. You just need to go get it.”
We wish the Moniz family, and all competitors from Diman, the very best.
