Students Earn National and State Awards at SkillsUSA

(l-r) ECC’sSkillsUSA national winners are Payden Kiser, Alfredo Hernandez Garcia, Ewan Poyner, Daniel Espinoza Hernandez and Carlos Rojas Gabriel. McRae Kiser finished eighth place in a post-secondary competition.

Edgecombe Community College’s SkillsUSA competitors won a gold medal and two silver medals after participating in the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference held June 23-27 in Atlanta, Ga. In its 60th year, the conference is a showcase of career and technical education students.

Payden Kiser, a graduate of Edgecombe Early College High School, won a gold medal in the Principles of Engineering-Technology-Post Secondary competition with his project presentation, “Key Scientific Principles Related to the Flight of High-Altitude Balloons.”

Alfredo Hernandez Garcia, also from Edgecombe Early College High School, won a silver medal in the Principles of Engineering – Technology – High School competition with his project presentation, “Circuits and Ohm’s Law.”

Carlos Rojas Gabriel and Daniel Espinoza Hernandez, also from Edgecombe Early College High School, as well as Ewan Poyner from North East Carolina Prep, brought home a silver medal for their project presentation, “Burn Baby Burn! Cutdown Mechanism for High Altitude Ballooning.” The three were members of the Career Pathways Showcase-Industrial and Engineering Technology-Post Secondary team. The showcase event was sponsored by Aerotek, and the three winners also received a $750 prize each from the company.

Advisors for all three competitions were Rebecca Stamilio Ehret, Johnica Ellis Kiser and Trey Cherry.

In addition to the medalists, McRae Kiser finished eighth place in the Job Skill Demonstration A – Post- Secondary competition with his project presentation, “How to Ear Tag Swine.” This is the first time ECC has competed in this event. McRae’s advisor was Johnica Ellis Kiser.

All of this year’s national medalists were members of critECCly stable, ECC’s high altitude ballooning team. They triumphed despite steep competition.

The conference featured more than 6,600 state contest winners who competed in 110 different hands-on trade, technical and leadership contests. In North Carolina, 303 career and technical education students from 71 schools participated. All contests are run with the aid and support of industry, trade associations and labor organizations, and test competencies are set by industry.

“The SkillsUSA competitions are the culmination of months of hard work and dedication by our competitors and advisors,” said Trey Cherry, SkillsUSA coordinator and advisor. “Watching these students showcase their knowledge and skills, and seeing their hard work come to fruition, is a highlight of the academic year. We are extremely proud of all of our competitors and their advisors, and the recognition that they bring to our institution and their individual programs.”

The national competition was the culmination of a contest that started with a state competition held in April in Greensboro, NC. At the state level, 55 students from ECC competed. The ECC SkillsUSA team took home 16 awards across a number of trade, technical and skilled service areas.

In May, a reception was held for ECC’s state winners, their families and faculty advisors. The following students from the ECC SkillsUSA team received bronze, gold or silver awards in the state competition.

Seven SkillsUSA teams placed first, winning GOLD MEDALS

• Barbering (Postsecondary): Jamar Freeman, Advisor-Rufus McKoy
• Career Pathways Showcase – Industrial and Engineering Technology (Postsecondary): Carlos Rojas Gabriel, Daniel Espinoza-Hernandez and Ewan Poyner, Advisors-Trey Cherry, Johnica Ellis Kiser and Rebecca Stamilio Ehret
• Job Skill Demonstration A (Postsecondary): McRae Kiser, Advisor-Johnica Ellis Kiser
• Principles of Engineering (Secondary): Alfredo Garcia, Advisors-Trey Cherry, Johnica Ellis Kiser and Rebecca Stamilio Ehret
• Principles of Engineering (Postsecondary): Payden Kiser, Advisors-Trey Cherry, Johnica Ellis Kiser and Rebecca Stamilio Ehret
• Skill Project Showcase – Engineering (Secondary): Turner Cooke, Khalid Hughes, Nickoli Khalaf, Alijah Lassiter, Marco Moreno, Justin Salazar and D’Andre Thompson, Advisor- Rebecca Stamilio Ehret
• Skill Project Showcase – Metalworking (Postsecondary): Aiden Andrews, Wilson Barnett, Grant Davis, Jacob Elkins, Nikolai Fecho and Mike Morris, Advisor-Raphael CiConta

One SkillsUSA team placed second, winning a SILVER MEDAL

• Skill Project Showcase –  Metalworking (Postsecondary): Jose Flores Lopez and Michael Taylor, Advisor- Raphael CiConta

Five SkillsUSA teams placed third, bring home BRONZE MEDALS

• Automotive Tool ID (Postsecondary): Dennis Welch, Advisor-Stephen Dupree
• Skill Project Showcase – Carpentry (Secondary): Kaliya Anderson, Jaqu’Avion Epps, William Frazier III, Tykise Harris, Jeremiah Humphrey, Javani Jones, Brandon King, Zaire McCotter and Justin Salazar, Advisor-Kevin Strickland
• Skill Project Showcase – Cosmetology (Postsecondary): Savannah Harris, Phashon Little and Kenisha Shields, Advisor-Tangie Tyler
• Skill Project Showcase – Metalworking (Postsecondary): Dustin Ream and Zach Smith, Advisor-Raphael CiConta
• Welding Sculpture (Secondary): William Moore, Jr., Advisor-Josh Briggs

Two individuals captured 4th place, including Reginald McLean for Barbering and Michael Moss for Skills Project Showcase: Metalworking. Kenisha Shields also won 5th place for Cosmetology Beginner Skills. Advisors were Josh Briggs, Rufus McKoy and Tangie Tyler.