Edgecombe Students Win Silver at SkillsUSA Nationals

The team of Edgecombe students (l-r) Matthew Duff, Payden Kiser, and Rafael Serrano Acosta won a silver medal in the Career Pathways Showcase – Industrial and Engineering Technology – Post Secondary competition at the recent SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference.

Edgecombe Community College SkillsUSA participants brought home a silver medal from the National Leadership and Skills Conference held June 19-23 in Atlanta, Georgia.

A team of ECC students won 2nd place in the Career Pathways Showcase – Industrial and Engineering Technology – Post Secondary competition. Team members were Matthew Duff and Payden Kiser, students at Edgecombe Early College High School, and Rafael Serrano Acosta, who attends SouthWest Edgecombe High School. All three students are dual enrolled in ECC classes.

Faculty advisors were Rebecca Stamilio Ehret, Trey Cherry, and Dr. Johnica Ellis-Kiser.

Carson Parker, who attends SouthWest Edgecombe High School, competed in a large field in the Welding Sculpture – High School competition, receiving high praise from fellow competitors and onlookers alike. Parker’s advisor was ECC instructor Josh Briggs.

Students who finish first in select events at the state competition are eligible to compete at the national level. These students captured first-place awards at the SkillsUSA state conference in April.

Carson Parker, who attends SouthWest Edgecombe High School, competed in a large field in the Welding Sculpture – High School competition. He placed first in the SkillsUSA state competition in April.

The SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference is the world’s largest showcase of skilled trades. More than 6,500 student contestants participated in over 110 hands-on skill and leadership competitions. Competitions were held in the Georgia World Congress Center, with the awards ceremony held in State Farm Arena, home of the Atlanta Hawks.

In addition to the competitions, students visited the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, the Georgia Aquarium, and the World of Coca-Cola Museum. Students also saw Ebenezer Baptist Church; the tomb of Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King; and King’s birthplace.

“We are so proud of our students and their outstanding achievements,” says ECC President Dr. Greg McLeod. “They represent the best of Edgecombe Community College. We also are indebted to our SkillsUSA advisors who go to great lengths every year to make sure that ECC students are both ready to compete and have a fulfilling overall experience. You won’t find a better group of instructors or students anywhere!”