Peggy M. Himburg
Jackson County students from the Kevin Dukes Career and Innovation Academy brought home gold, silver, and bronze medals from the SkillsUSA National Leadership Skills Championships in Atlanta, Georgia. Landon Murphy, Daniel Olinger, and Madison Short earned the silver medal in Automated Manufacturing. Haisa Haislip won the gold medal in Prepared Speech. Lily McBryar, Brilyn Davidson, and Josiah Kelsey took the bronze medal in Chapter Display. Wyatt Cook earned the gold medal in CNC Programming. These talented students competed with more than 6,000 students from across the country.
Jackson County students earned gold, silver, and bronze medals at this summer’s SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference. Several other students placed in the top ten during competition with SkillsUSA members from across the country.
SkillsUSA members from the Kevin Dukes Career and Innovation Academy and Northeast Alabama Community College had outstanding performances in their field. This competition held each year in June in Atlanta, Georgia, is the largest gathering of America’s future skilled workforce and the ultimate recognition of excellence in career and technical education. At this year’s championships more than 6,000 state champions competed for the national gold, silver, and bronze medals in 115 skilled and leadership competitions.
Representing the Kevin Dukes Career and Innovation Academy, Haisa Haislip, Skyline High School, won the gold medal in Prepared Speech, and Wyatt Cook, Skyline High School, took the gold medal in CNC Programming. Northeast Alabama Community College student Christy Powell captured the gold medal in medical terminology.
The team of Landon Murphy from Scottsboro High School, and Skyline High School students Daniel Olinger, and Madison Short won the silver medal in Automated Manufacturing. Lily McBryar, and Brilyn Davidson from North Sand Mountain High School, and Josiah Kelsey, Skyline High School, took the bronze medal for Chapter Display.
Gracie Wade, North Sand Mountain High School, earned fourth place in CNC 3-Axis Milling. Isaac Avans, Skyline High School, captured fifth place in CNC 5-Axis Milling. Northeast Alabama Community College student Kassidy Cunningham from Hollywood took fifth place in Cosmetology.
As an indicator of proficiency, Skill Point Certificates were awarded to all national contestants who met a predetermined threshold contest score for their SkillsUSA event demonstrating workplace readiness. Students earning a Skill Point Certificate were Gracie Wade and Isaac Evans from the Kevin Dukes Career and Innovation Academy; Anna Massey from Flat Rock who attends the Dekalb County Technology Center in Rainsville; and Northeast Alabama Community College student Kassidy Cunningham.
Industry support of the SkillsUSA Championships is valued at over $36 million in donated time, equipment, cash, and material. More than 1,200 industry judges and technical committee members participated this year.
