Wiregrass Gold State SkillsUSA winners who are advancing to virtual SkillsUSA National Championships and Leadership this June.
They are starting with back row, left to right: Parker Metcalf (Mechatronics)- Valdosta Campus, Benjamin Sandusky (Mechatronics)- Valdosta Campus, and Brandon Chandler (Cosmetology)- Valdosta Campus.
Front row, left to right: Jacques Freeman (Telecommunications and Security)- Ben Hill-Irwin Campus, Azer Larson (Barbering)- Valdosta Campus, Andy Francis (Welding Graduate)- Valdosta Campus, Kaycee Armstrong (Gaming Development)- Valdosta Campus, and Noah Ivey (Gaming Development) – Valdosta Campus.
Valdosta, GA — Wiregrass Georgia Technical College had an overwhelming showing at the 2021 SkillsUSA State Championship held virtually at college campuses across the state. The college brought back fifteen gold, eight silver, and three bronze medals in the skills competitions against other colleges. The college medaled in 93% of the contests the students competed in and 90% of Wiregrass students who competed earned a medal. Wiregrass has won the most medals in the state for the last four years of the competition.
Kelley Wetherington, Director of Campus Life and SkillsUSA Advisor, worked with Wiregrass SkillsUSA chapter faculty to give students the opportunity to compete in the virtual SkillsUSA Georgia Post-Secondary state championships. “In ‘normal’ years, training for competition has many challenges for students as they juggle college and home life and work hard honing their skills, preparing to compete. In this ‘not-so-normal’ year, there were additional challenges of adapting and preparing to compete virtually for students, advisors, and community industry partners who served as contest proctors.”
Wiregrass Tech has 15 gold medalists who will now compete during the virtual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference this June after winning top place in state-wide competitions. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers, and industry representatives working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. It is a national nonprofit organization serving teachers, high school students, and college students preparing for careers in trade, technical, and skills service occupations, including health occupations. The SkillsUSA program hosts local, state, and national competitions for students to showcase their skills learned through hands-on training in the classroom.
“Wiregrass is extremely proud of all our students who participated in the virtual state SkillsUSA competition. Our instructors did an excellent job preparing students for state competition,” stated Wiregrass President Dr. Tina K. Anderson. “We are especially proud to have fifteen gold medals, eight silver, and three bronze. Wiregrass will be well represented at the National SkillsUSA Championships in June. We congratulate these students, faculty, and advisors.”
Wiregrass students who competed and won gold and will go on to represent Wiregrass Georgia Tech at the SkillsUSA National Virtual Championships in June include:
Azer Larson (Barbering), Valdosta Campus in Barbering
Jacob McSpadden (industrial Systems Technology), Valdosta Campus in Electrical Construction Wiring
Summer Bennett (Emergency Medical PreParamedic), Valdosta Campus in Emergency Medical Technician
Michael Pickett (Emergency Medical PreParamedic), Valdosta Campus in Emergency Medical Technician
Douglas Hisaw (Automotive Technology), Valdosta Campus in Employment Application Process
Blake Meeler, (Emergency Medical PreParamedic), Valdosta Campus in First Aid-CPR
Tyrek Robinson (Technical Studies), Valdosta Campus in Industrial Motor Control
Kaycee Armstrong (Gaming Development), Valdosta Campus in Interactive App and Game Development
Noah Ivey (Gaming Development), Valdosta Campus in Interactive App and Game Development
Brandon Chandler (Cosmetology), Valdosta Campus in Job Skill Demonstration A
Parker Metcalf (Mechatronics), Valdosta Campus in Mechatronics
Benjamin Sandusky (Mechatronics), Valdosta Campus in Mechatronics
Penny Griffin (HIT Management Coding), Valdosta Campus in Medical Terminology
Jacques Freeman (Telecommunications and Security), Ben Hill-Irwin Campus in Telecommunications Cabling
Andrew Francis (Welding Graduate), Valdosta Campus in Welding Art Sculpture
Silver medal winners from Wiregrass were:
Reann Catlett (Gaming Development), Valdosta Campus in 3-D Visualization and Animation
Casey Smith (Gaming Development), Valdosta Campus in 3-D Visualization and Animation
Heidi Shelley (Culinary Arts Graduate), Valdosta Campus in Commercial Banking
Andrew Harrelson (Cyber Security), Valdosta Campus in Cyber Security
Shamar Melvin (Cyber Security), Valdosta Campus in Cyber Security
Alexandria Rivera (Web Site Design/Development), Valdosta Campus in Pin Design
Michael Hendley (Telecommunications and Security), Ben Hill-Irwin Campus in Telecommunications Cabling
Joshua Gray (Culinary Arts), Valdosta Campus in T-Shirt Design
Students who won bronze medals at the state level were:
Bailey Sellars (Automotive Technology), Valdosta Campus in Automotive Technology
Darrellnette McCrae Stibbins (Culinary Arts), Valdosta Campus in Culinary Arts
Kiefer Goebel (Welding & Joining Technology), Valdosta Campus in T-Shirt Design
Other college participants include:
Valdosta Campus – William Exum, and Kinza Mahmood.
For more information about Wiregrass’ SkillsUSA chapter or other student organization and programs, visit https://www.wiregrass.edu. Wiregrass is currently accepting new students for Summer Semester. Classes begin May 19.
