Northeast Community College students recently joined thousands of other students and instructors at the national SkillsUSA competition in Atlanta.
While Northeast performed well, including one national championship and one third place finish, the nearly week-long experience was celebrated as an opportunity to compete and enhance their skills in trade, technical and skilled service occupations.
The top three medalists for Northeast were Jacie Ambrose of Saint Paul and Michelle Soto of West Point, each earning a gold medal in Television/Video Production team competition. Evan Schuetze of West Point earned a bronze in Electrical Construction Wiring.
Besides the national competition, there were numerous learning and leadership opportunities, including the keynote address from Mike Rowe, who might be best known as the creator of the Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs.”
Mark Harelman, Northeast building construction trainer in West Point, made the arrangements on behalf of Northeast and was one of the instructors who attended.
Harelman said the experience is a tremendous opportunity for the students, including team building, bonding and gaining knowledge for their careers.
“Another thing I see is that this builds confidence. Each one of these students, even the ones who didn’t get a medal, already had proven they were the best in the state. (Students had to earn gold medals at state to qualify for nationals.) This helps them to go to the job or going to an interview knowing what they are capable of.”
Harelman drove a van from West Point to Atlanta along with John Liewer of Northeast, associate dean, Applied Technology. The van was filled with equipment that the students need to compete, such as construction or television and video production.
The trip by van takes about 17 hours, with Harelman and Liewer alternating driving, switching each time they filled up with gas.
Harelman said it is worth noting that Northeast was fortunate to leave when it did after the event concluded and get home on Sunday, June 29. That’s because thunderstorms and severe weather hit Atlanta last weekend.
“All the Delta flights got canceled. The only reason we made it home was we flew Southwest,” Harelman said.
One of the Nebraska high schools that competed texted him to let him know they didn’t return until Tuesday, with most other schools getting home on Monday.
Here’s how the Northeast students finished at nationals, with final placing listed at the end.
Ava Miller, Norfolk, Architectural Drafting, 11th.
Connor Smith, Aurora, Carpentry, seventh.
Kage Collins, Saint Paul, Collision Repair Tech, 15th.
Katelyn Gubbels, Pierce, Crime Scene Investigation, fifth.
Kaia Kollmar, Norfolk; Crime Scene Investigation, fifth.
Abbigail Jamison, Tecumseh, Crime Scene Investigation, fifth.
Hannah Taylor, Norfolk, Early Childhood Education, sixth.
Evan Schuetze, West Point, Electrical Construction wiring, third.
Kolby Majerus, York, HVAC, sixth.
Kellan Wusk, Geneva, Teamworks, fifth.
Izek Leslie, Spalding, Teamworks, fifth.
Bobbie Martin, Alda, Teamworks, fifth.
Landon Olson, Fremont, Teamworks, fifth.
Jacie L Ambrose, Saint Paul, Television/Video Production, first.
Michelle Stephany Soto, West Point, Television/Video Production, first.
Skills Teammates
Northeast Community College SkillsUSA teammates from Crime Scene Investigation and Early Childhood hang out between activities at the national competition. (Northeast Community College)
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