ECC Team Wins Top Prizes at National Conference

A team from Edgecombe Community College won 1st place in the nation in their division at the recent SkillsUSA national conference in Louisville. From left are Patrick Philips, Chris Nalepka, Jilianne Leary, and advisor Rebecca Stamilio-Ehret. The team captured 1st place in the Career Pathways Showcase: Industrial and Engineering Technology division.

Edgecombe Community College students received national awards last week at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference held in Louisville, Kentucky.

Students Jilianne Leary, Chris Nalepka, and Patrick Philips placed 1st in the nation in the Career Pathways Showcase: Industrial and Engineering Technology competition. Their advisor was Rebecca Stamilio-Ehret, Physics/Industrial Trades instructor.

Students Elizabeth Cross, Tarfee Hines, and Jacob Turner placed 4th in the nation in the Career Pathways Showcase: Human Services competition. Their advisors were Rick Basile, chair of Criminal Justice, and Gerald Pipkin, part-time Criminal Justice instructor.

Additionally, all students on both teams qualified for SkillsPoints Certificates, which they earned by meeting criteria in their competition, presentation, and overall showing at the national conference.

More than 5,600 outstanding career and technical education students – all state contest winners – competed in 100 different trade, technical, and leadership events at the national weeklong conference.

Students worked against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations like electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assisting, and culinary arts.