Four Technical Career Center students have qualified to compete in the National SkillsUSA competition this summer.
Placing first and earning scholarships among 19 students who competed in the state competition held earlier this month at the State Technical College of Missouri in Linn were: Isaac Branson in collision repair, Natasha Duelley in nail care, Sheila Wallace in barbering and Amber Whitworth in cosmetology.
"For them to be capable of competing on the national level, on that scale, after you prepare all the instruction and put in the time, means a lot to us," said building trades instructor Jody Cochran, the lead SkillsUSA adviser. "Big corporations and top-notch companies are gonna be on hand signing kids to go to work, conducting live interviews."
The 55th annual National Leadership and Skills Conference is slated to take place Monday through Friday, June 24-28, in Louisville, Ky. The Poplar Bluff SkillsUSA chapter has been fundraising, including raffling a four-wheeler, in order to participate.
SkillsUSA is a national membership association serving high school, college and middle school students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, including health occupations, and for further education.
Above: Receiving special recognition with adviser Jody Cochran (red shirt) during the school board meeting on Thursday, April 18, were (from left) Amber Whitworth, Sheila Wallace and Isaac Branson. Not present was Natasha Duelley.
Below: Competing at SkillsUSA Missouri were (in alphabetical order) Isaac Branson, Millie Cato, Jacob Clifford, Natasha Duelley, Cole Emmons, Jalen Hicks, Mariah Mitchell, Austin Pullum, Alicia Reed, Michael Simpson, Elizabeth Snyder, Glen Thurman, Kayce Towner, Hannah Tutor, Sheila Wallace, Dale Wert, Amber Whitworth and Kayla Zachary. Not pictured was Britney Howery. Chaperone teachers included Susan Chronister, Jody Cochran and Alex Nicolini.
