MTC students win big at FL SkillsUSA skill and leadership competitions
(Bradenton, FL—April 30, 2015) Manatee Technical College students won 71 medals at the 2015 Florida SkillsUSA Conference in Lakeland April 27-29. The school brought home 34 gold, 29 silver and 8 bronze medals. The 34 first-place winners will proceed to the National Championships in Louisville, Kentucky, in June.
Students from high schools and technical centers and colleges from across the state competed in over 100 skill and leadership contests. Some were team events. Each contest had two divisions (high school and college). Manatee Technical College students medaled in 41 contests.
Instructor Bob Burwell was happy with the results. Four teams of his students took first and second in both the high school and college divisions of 3-D Visualization & Animation, first place in the college division of Digital Cinema Production, and first place in the college division of Television (Video) Production.
Digital Design students Shelby Westlake and Amber Rodriguez took gold in both the college and high school divisions, respectively, of the digital Photography skill contest. “I am very happy!” exclaimed Dr. Marina Proskurina, who was impressed with how well her students did against strong competition.
A mother and daughter both won gold medals: Culinary Arts student Elizabeth Steinke placed first in the high school division of Restaurant Service. Her mother, Kelly Steinke, a Business Technology student, was a member of the winning Quiz Bowl team in the college division. Her team mates were Annie Gooch, Bob Craig, Marshal Gaunt and Cheyenne DeHart.
MTC students also placed in the following contests: Action Skills, Architectural Drafting, Basic Health Care Skills, Collision Repair, CPS—Arts and Communication, CPS—Human Services, Early Childhood Education, Electronics Technology, Employment Application Process, Entrepreneurship, Esthetics, First Aid/CPR, Health Knowledge Bowl, Health Occupations Professional Portfolio, Internetworking, Major Appliance Technology, Medical Math, Medical Terminology, Men’s Haircutting, Nail Care, Nurse Assisting, Prepared Speech, Team Works, Web Design, and Welding Fabrication.
The SkillsUSA contests are the most important opportunity career and technical education students have to compete against their peers and demonstrate their skills. SkillsUSA is a national organization that promotes excellence, employability skills, and ethics to students to better prepare them for successful careers.