Chattanooga State Community College earning 61 medals and took home the James D. King Award for Division I for the 10th consecutive year at the 2025 SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference.
A total of 110 student contestants and 40 advisors attended the competition, bringing home 28 Gold, 18 Silver and 15 Bronze medals in diverse skill areas from automotive service to medical assisting, heavy equipment operation, culinary arts, welding and more.
“SkillsUSA is more than a competition—it's a launching pad for student confidence, career readiness and lifelong success.
These students aren’t just learning skills; they’re proving they’re ready for the workforce,” said Mike Mercer, SkillsUSA director at Chattanooga State. “I couldn’t be prouder of how our students represented ChattState.”
Thanks to the gold medal wins and a qualifying model, 29 students and 16 advisors will travel to Atlanta in June for the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference.
Gold Medalists
• Automotive Service Technology: Rachel Blackwell
• Baking and Pastry Arts: Asa Spencer
• Barbering: Axel Salaises
• Career Pathways Showcase: Human Services: Caylin Fowler, Savanna Mercer, Emilee Rutledge
• Community Service: Drake Boyd, Derek Dunn, Darrion Mason
• Culinary Arts: Madeline Wurm
• Employment Application Process: Annalise Nicholson
• Dental Assisting: Giselle Palacios
• First Aid/CPR: Takara Lawrence
• Heavy Equipment Operation: TayShawn Caslin
• Job Interview: Natalie Garrett
• Job Skill Demo: Open: Blan Williams (Model), Yolaila Palacios
• Marine Service Technology: Bryce Carroll
• Medical Assisting: JaQuese Walker
• Mobile Electronics Installation: Orlando Pendergrass Jr.
• Motorcycle Service Technology: Parker Barrett
• Principles of Engineering Technology: David Perez
• Restaurant Service: Maddox Gilkey
• Technical Computer Applications (PS): Nicolas Leon
• Technical Computer Applications (HS): Andrew Mercer
• Video News Production: Annalise Adams, Ben Jennings, April Shaw, Trevor Walker
Silver Medalists
• Career Pathways Showcase: Arts and Communication: Katie Luttrell, Gavin McFarland, Abbi Salyers
• Career Pathways Showcase: Human Services: Kenneth Card, Tais Santiago, Alejandro Lopez-Sanchez
• Cosmetology: Cheyenne Brandenburg
• Customer Service: Alanis Beckom
• Employment Application Process: Alondra Chaman
• Esthetics: Lindsey McCorkey, Samantha Thomas (Model)
• Extemporaneous Speaking: Kady Mitchell
• First Aid/CPR: Ever Carvajal
• Heavy Equipment Operation: Sam Riddle
• Marine Service Technology: Devan Grayson
• Medical Assisting: Jessica Navarro Perez
• Medical Math: Michael Teems
• Mobile Electronics Installation: Courtney Robinson
• Photography: Sarah Vaughn
• Promotional Bulletin Board: Jamel Lane, Nevin Lucas, Brenden Skinner
Bronze Medalists
• Advertising Design: Jayden Bane
• Automotive Refinishing Technology: Juan Gomez
• Collision Damage Appraisal: Lexi Waldo
• Collision Repair Technology: Milton Jimenez
• Esthetics: Colby Botner, Alethea Hendrix (Model)
• Extemporaneous Speaking: Anne Ford
• Extemporaneous Speaking: Briley Wear
• Job Skill Demo: A: Mattison Alexander
• Masonry: Keychemyra McFarland
• Motorcycle Service Technology: Kyle Scott
• Power Equipment Technology: Nathan Hollingsworth
• Prepared Speech: Aree Walker