3 Kensington High School seniors make history in statewide competition
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Three students at Kensington High School are making history after placing first in a statewide competition focused on career and technical education.
This dynamic trio's tech skills are taking them to the top.
"We're always with each other," senior Angela Ramos said. "We're like a trio."
These Kensington High School seniors Angela Ramos, Jean Carlos Rivas-Rodriguez and Sammy Canela won the state SkillsUSA's Career Pathway Showcase competition in the field of business, management and tech.
It's the first school in the Philadelphia public school district to take home first place.
"I look at my teacher and say we won, we won, and we just went to the stage and got our medal," Rivas-Rodriguez said.
In April, the team presented poster boards and competed together against 3,000 other career and technical education students. But the win isn't the only thing they have in common.
Ramos' family is from Puerto Rico while Rivas-Rodriguez and Canela were both born in the Dominican Republic.
"We come from different backgrounds, but we all share that kind of love for technology which has helped us become who we are today," Ramos said.
The competition included a public speaking portion about what they learned in their computer science class.
For Rivas-Rodriguez and Canela, that was a challenge given English isn't their first language.
"Yes, it's become an obstacle because like I said English being my second language," Rivas-Rodriguez said. "It's very hard to learn."
"Most of the time we don't get the opportunity to show off our skills so being able to represent the Hispanic community I think that's something I'm very proud of," Canela said.
The three are combining their love for technology with their connection to their cultures.
"I wasn't born here but it feels great to represent something that I belong to," Rivas-Rodriguez said.
The three students are now preparing to represent the state of Pennsylvania at the National SkillsUSA Competition in June in Atlanta.