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Emma Stokely
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531-MCC-2726, office
402-380-4896, cell
estokely@mccneb.edu
mccneb.edu
MCC students excel at SkillsUSA Nebraska; 23 qualify for national competition in Atlanta
OMAHA, Neb. — Metropolitan Community College students had a strong showing at the SkillsUSA Nebraska Championships that wrapped up in Grand Island on Saturday. In total, 44 MCC students medaled in their respective competitions, with 23 qualifying to compete at SkillsUSA Championships in Atlanta, June 19-23. The national competition features more than 5,000 of the top career and technical education students across the nation who will compete in more than 100 timed and judged competitions.
In total, 80 MCC students participated in the SkillsUSA Nebraska Championships, with more than half medaling in contests that included advertising design, audio/radio production, automotive refinishing technology, cabinet making, CNC 2-axis turning programmer, collision damage appraisal, collision repair technology, digital cinema production, electrical construction wiring, firefighting, photography, precision machining technology, technical team problem solving, television/video production, welding and welding fabrication.
“We enjoy participating in SkillsUSA Nebraska every year because it gives our students a great opportunity to meet other students across the state who share their interests and goals,” said Joe Baker, MCC auto collision technology instructor and SkillsUSA Nebraska board member. “They also network with professionals who work in the industries they hope join after they complete their education, so in addition to the thrill of competing, it’s a really valuable experience for them.”
At the Nebraska event, competitions took place among high school and college-aged students. In total, MCC students collected 29 gold medals, 11 silver and four bronze. All gold medalists in national competition events qualified to compete in Atlanta. Additionally, all students who placed first through third earned scholarships that ranged from $500 to $1,500.
“We are extremely proud to see our students rewarded for their hard work with strong performances in Grand Island, and we look forward to seeing them represent MCC at the national competition,” Baker said. “Our students benefit from the hands-on learning and mock interviews that take place at the state conference, and they make great connections as they work toward their careers.”
MCC students medaled in the following events:
Advertising Design (college)
Gold: Amy Curtis
Audio/Radio Production (college)
Gold: Chad Fey, Olivia Naumann
Automotive Refinishing Technology (college)
Silver: Adam Perrin
Automotive Refinishing Technology (high school)
Gold: Ethan Kittle
Automotive Service Technology (college)
Bronze: Wayne Price
Cabinet Making (college)
Gold: Natalie Salt
CNC 2 Axis Turning Programmer (college)
Bronze: Andrew Baxter
Collision Damage Appraisal (college)
Gold: Joseph Lytle
Silver: Corey Larsen
Collision Damage Appraisal (high school)
Gold: Tyler Kramar
Silver: Gabe Kugler
Collision Repair Technology (college)
Silver: Andrew Boldt
Bronze: Brayden Curley
Collision Repair Technology (high school)
Gold: Genaro Cruz Favila
Digital Cinema Production (college)
Gold: Hannah Amberg, Alayna Kustka
Silver: McKinley Matlock, Tyler Wilson
Digital Cinema Production (high school)
Silver: Laci Arends, Theresa DeWerth
Electrical Construction Wiring (college)
Bronze: Jakob Cimino
Electrical Construction Wiring (high school)
Gold: Cooper Cook
Firefighting (college)
Gold: Caleb Jashinske
Silver: Gage Woods
Firefighting (high school)
Gold: Joseph Doyle
Silver: Landon Harding
Photography (college)
Gold: Mikayla Mancuso
Precision Machining Technology — state only (high school)
Gold: Tyler Thompson
Technical Team Problem Solving — state only (high school)
Gold: Anthony Abbott, Wayne Price, Cooper Slavik, Michael West, Adam Whiteside
Television/Video Production (college)
Gold: Brennan Hanson, Emanuel Salcedo
Welding (college)
Gold: Jonathan Walker
Silver: Jayden Lollis
Welding Fabrication (college)
Gold: Dallas Fincham, Hunter Fitzpatrick, Jayden Scholz
Welding Fabrication (high school)
Gold: Nicholas Kroupa, Madison Watts, Tyler Winsor
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About Metropolitan Community College
Metropolitan Community College, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, is a comprehensive, public community college that offers affordable, quality education to all residents of Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy and Washington counties. Founded in 1974, MCC has the largest enrollment out of six community colleges in Nebraska and is the second largest postsecondary institution in the state. MCC serves more than 40,000 unique credit and noncredit students.
About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. The organization improves the quality of our nation’s skilled workforce through the development of Framework skills that include personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics. SkillsUSA serves more than 335,000 students and instructors annually. This includes 19,500 instructors who join as professional members. Including alumni, SkillsUSA membership totals nearly 400,000.