GRAND ISLAND, Neb. -- Northeast Community College students learn skills and acquire knowledge each day during classes, in labs and shops.
On Thursday and Friday, April 11-12, they got a chance to see how they measure up against others in the annual SkillsUSA Nebraska State Leadership and Skills Conference.
Northeast ended up with 38 medals -- 16 gold, 14 silver and eight bronze. The medals were presented Saturday morning at the conference's end at the Heartland Events Center and Fonner Park.
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. The organization serves middle school, high school and college students in programs in preparing them for technical, skilled and service careers.
It was originally founded as Vocational Industrial Clubs of America in 1965. In 2004, the name was changed to SkillsUSA. The students competed at spacious Fonner Park in buildings used primarily for the State Fair.
Brad Ranslem, Northeast associate dean for Applied Technology, helped to coordinate activities for about 100 Northeast students who competed.
“Overall, things went well,” Ranslem said Friday at the end of the competition. “All the students got here, and we were able to get them to their competition."
Like any competition, students have to put in extra time. Not only do they have to prepare to compete, but if they win gold, they are expected to go to Atlanta in June to compete at nationals. Some of the students will graduate in May, so that means they will have to take off work or an internship.
“It is a big commitment that we ask of students, but hopefully we will bring even more students next year and win even more medals,” he said.
The following are results of Northeast students by category.
Advertising Design: Gold and Silver
Architectural Drafting: Gold, Silver, and Bronze
Automotive Refinishing: Gold
Cabinet Making: Silver and Bronze
Carpentry: Gold and Silver
Computer Programing: Gold, Silver, and Bronze
Crime Scene Investigation: Bronze
Criminal Justice: Gold and Silver
Cyber Security: Gold and Silver
Early Childhood Education: Gold and Silver
Electrical Construction Wiring: Gold, Silver, and Bronze
Industrial Motor Control: Silver and Bronze
Internetworking: Gold
Masonry: Gold, Silver, and Bronze
Mechatronics: Gold and Bronze
Related Technical Math: Gold
Heavy Equipment Operater: Silver
Robotics Urban Search and Rescue: Silver
Teamworks: Gold
Technical Computer Application: Gold
Technical Drafting: Gold and Silver
Additional stories about Northeast competitors will be featured in the coming weeks.
SkillsUSA cutline
The Northeast Community College TeamWorks team won gold and is among the individuals and teams that have qualified for the national competition in Atlanta, Ga., in June. They are shown here nearly finished with a shed they started building at 8 a.m. on Friday, April 12, and had finished ahead of the 4 p.m. deadline. (Northeast Community College)
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