Congratulations to Schalmont High School senior Dakota Eckert for placing first at the Area III Regional SkillsUSA Competition held on March 18, 2009, at Schenectady County Community College. 

Eckert is enrolled in the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Technology program at the Albany Career and Technical School. She was selected to represent the program and placed first in the food and beverage competition. She will now compete in the state conference April 1-3 in Syracuse.

Her plan is to attend SCCC next year for Culinary Arts. She is pictured at right during the award presentation by Bob Firpo, an admissions representative from the Connecticut Culinary Institute.