A collection of 11 talented technical skills competitors from Chattanooga State Community College this month participated in the 2024 SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference, bringing home medals in four categories.
SkillsUSA’s National Conference is the largest gathering of students who comprise America’s future skilled workforce. The annual week-long conference is a celebration of excellence in career and technical education.
Chattanooga State’s medalists are:
Gold
· Community Service: Team of Tia Bowers, Kam Johnson, D’Andre Johnson
· Employment Application Process: Alissya Popoca
· Opening & Closing Ceremonies: Team of Matthew Nelson, Daeja Beckom, Sarah Kirk, Breanna Holloway, Amanda Sovago-Royal, Emmalea Linebarger, Breanna Foster
Silver
· Job Interview: Shelby Defore
“Competing at the national level requires exceptional talent and determination,” said Mike Mercer, Co-Lead Adviser for Chattanooga State’s SkillsUSA chapter. “Their hard work and passion have earned them these gold and silver medals. We are honored to support such talented individuals."
All told, competitors from across Tennessee earned 29 gold medals, 21 silver medals, and seven bronze medals. A total of 132 students from 26 Tennessee college/postsecondary institutions competed at the national level.
With 57 medals, Tennessee ranked second this year in the overall number of medals won at the college/postsecondary level – only one behind the 58 won by Georgia postsecondary students.
“I am so proud of the accomplishments of our Tennessee students,” said Daphne Brown, SkillsUSA Tennessee Postsecondary state director and director of CTE student engagement at the Tennessee Board of Regents. “Tennessee postsecondary students placed in the top four in 41 of the 83 contests they competed in against students from across the nation, which means they placed in the top four in nearly half of those competitions—showcasing the exceptional quality of career and technical education provided by Tennessee colleges.”
Also at the national conference, the SkillsUSA chapters at two TBR colleges—TCATs Chattanooga and Pulaski—were recognized for their selection in April as Models of Excellence for 2024, the highest honor bestowed on chapters. They were among only 24 chapters from across the nation selected and the only college-level institutions selected in the Technical Skills category.
Tennessee also earned the award for the largest membership increase in its SkillsUSA college/postsecondary division—moving from 10,111 student and faculty members last year to 14,448 members this year—the largest Tennessee membership ever and the largest state delegation in the U.S.
Overall, the event brings together more than 16,000 attendees, including students, instructors, industry partners, government officials, administrators, and more. The conference is for middle school, high school, and college-level students who are members of SkillsUSA. Students compete in their respective school levels.