Tennessee postsecondary students win 68 medals at 2023 SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference

Career and technical education students from Tennessee colleges and other postsecondary programs won 68 medals as they demonstrated excellence in dozens of competitions at the 2023 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, bringing home more medals than any other state delegation. Students from the College System of Tennessee's community and technical colleges captured 65 of the medals.

The conference and its national skills competitions, held in Atlanta June 19-23, showcased career and technical education. More than 6,000 outstanding students from across the country competed hands-on in 110 different technical, trades, artistic and leadership fields – from Advertising Design to Welding. SkillsUSA Tennessee Postsecondary sent 125 student competitors from 25 schools to participate in the national event.

"I am so proud of the accomplishments of Tennessee competitors at last week's SkillsUSA national conference. The hard work and dedication of students and instructors across the state paid off as the Tennessee Postsecondary delegation brought home more medals than any other College/Postsecondary delegation in the nation," said Shania Willyard, director of experiential learning at the College System of Tennessee and SkillsUSA Tennessee Postsecondary state director.

SkillsUSA is America's champion of career and technical education and skilled trades, and is a diverse, student-led organization building the future skilled workforce with graduates prepared for rewarding careers.

SkillsUSA’s competitions test competencies in the fields and are run with the help of industry, trade associations, labor organizations and others. In addition, leadership contestants demonstrate their skills, including extemporaneous speaking and conducting meetings using parliamentary procedure. The annual conference is for middle school, high school and college-level students who are members of SkillsUSA. Students compete in their respective school levels. (Continued below photo)

Photo: Students from Volunteer State Community College win Gold Medal in Crime Scene Investigation competition at SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference

Top student winners in each competition were awarded gold, silver and bronze medallions. Many also received prizes such as tools of their trade and scholarships to further their careers and education.

The big Tennessee winner was the Tennessee College of Applied Technology at Chattanooga State Community College, whose students won 25 medals in 11 separate competitions.

Other College System of Tennessee colleges whose students brought home medals were Motlow State Community College, Northeast State Community College, Pellissippi State Community College, Roane State Community College, Volunteer State Community College, Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Covington, TCAT Crump, TCAT Elizabethton,  TCAT Knoxville, TCAT McMinnville, TCAT Memphis, and TCAT Morristown. Students at two independent institutions in the state also won medals: Southern Adventist University and Resource Valley Construction Training Council.

The complete list of medalists from across the nation is here. Tennessee postsecondary students who finished the 2023 national conference with medals:

GOLD MEDALS

• Audio-Radio Production: Team of Miriam Barbour, Robert Lakatosh, Pellissippi State Community College
• Barbering: Octavio Pacheco Molina, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Chattanooga
• Career Pathways - Human Services: Team of Marissa Ross, Kelsey Glover, Skylar Taylor, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Memphis
• CNC (Computer Numeric Control) Programmer: Henry Brooks, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Morristown
• Community Service: Team of Markia Patrick, Kelsey Smith, Breonna Howard, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Covington
• Cosmetology: Holli Ollis, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Elizabethton
• Crime Scene Investigation: Team of Nicole Fowler, Jasmine Harrison, Sarai Edwards, Volunteer State Community College
• Employment Application Process: Valerie Mills, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Chattanooga
• Extemporaneous Speaking: Jorgan Petit, Motlow State Community College
• Job Interview: Nicole Maneiro, Motlow State Community College
• Masonry: Chris Parker, Resource Valley Construction Training Council, Knoxville
• Mechatronics: Team of Gabriel Eady, Derek Summers, Roane State Community College
• Web Design & Development: Team of Allen Gustrowsky, Brandon Gustrowsky, Southern Adventist University

SILVER MEDALS

• Career Pathways - Health Services: Team of Beronica Tercero, Destiny Forsythe, Abby Johnson, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Chattanooga
• Commercial Small Unmanned Aircraft System (Drone) Technology: Team of Ben Burns, Jesse Keeton, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Crump
• Criminal Justice: Hussein Alhawamdeh, Volunteer State Community College
• Emergency Medical Technician: Team of Georgia Charlton, Trista Parton, Motlow State Community College
• Engineering Technology-Design: Team of Melissa Lucas, William Mckinney, Scott Liparoto, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Morristown
• Job Skill Demonstration: Mayce Wood, Northeast State Community College
• Job Skill Demonstration Open: Amy Brown, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Chattanooga
• Nurse Assisting: Kennedy Hestand, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Knoxville
• Opening & Closing Ceremonies: Team of Ana Barreno Batz, Mary Gilliam, Karli James, Stephen Holloway, Marlane Roblero, Christopher Hampton, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Chattanooga
• Technical Computer Applications: Sydney Walter, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Chattanooga

BRONZE MEDALS

• Career Pathways - Arts and Communication: Team of Divine Beck, AuNedra Burney, Timeya Jackson, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Chattanooga
• Career Pathways - Business, Management & Technology: Team of Jana Shivers, Stanley Jones, Jalen Hines, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Memphis
• Career Pathways - Industrial & Engineering Technology: Team of Zachary Moore, Blake McKinney, George Grindstaff, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Elizabethton
• Customer Service: Ebony Gray,  Tennessee College of Applied Technology Covington
• Dental Assisting: Maliyah Knox, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Covington
• First Aid-CPR: Annemarie Campbell, Motlow State Community College
• Internet of Things & Smart Home Technology: Drew Campbell, Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Chattanooga
• Marine Service Technology: Dillon Taylor, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Chattanooga
• Medical Assisting: Ziya Lawson, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Chattanooga
• Nail Care: Kai Sage, Tennessee College of Applied Technology McMinnville
• Quiz Bowl: Team of Gabrielle Alsept, Cailey Edmonds, Alicia Phillips, Andrew Hoffman, Zach Letbetter, Zachary Ware, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Chattanooga
• Robotics & Automation Technology: Team of Christian Farmer, Daniel Gillette, Roane State Community College
• Telecommunications Cabling: Gabrielle Miller, Motlow State Community College