Students from South and West Rowan high schools recently traveled to Greensboro to compete in SkillsUSA competitions.

For South Rowan students, this was their first time participating in the statewide competition, and they did not leave empty-handed. Competitors who placed and their championship competitions include:

• Paige Chabala – second place in SkillsUSA poster making.

• Isaac Miller – third place in cabinetmaking showcase project.

• Carleigh Tadlock – fourth place in SkillsUSA poster making.

• Austin Tilley and Carson Withers — fifth place in 3D visualization and animation.

  West Rowan winners include:

• Grant Helms – first place in advanced masonry.

• Angel Bridgers – first place in masonry bulletin board.

• Ashton White – first place in postsecondary masonry.

• MacKenna Clifton – second place in extemporaneous speaking.

• Cyress Brown – third place in advanced masonry.

• Anderson Pruett – third place in Masonry 1.

Helms will be continuing on to Louisville, Kentucky, for the SkillsUSA Nationals in June.

The SkillsUSA North Carolina Championships, held in Greensboro, took place April 9-11 at the Greensboro Coliseum and Koury Convention Center. The conference was the largest showcase of career and technical education in North Carolina, with more than 2,500 career and technical education students competing over 120 hands-on trade, technical and leadership contests.

These contests span more than 95 trade areas from construction, automotive and welding to drafting, public safety, culinary, cosmetology and more.

Students worked against the clock, proving their expertise in their chosen occupations and competitions. All contests are run with the help of industry, trade associations, and technical experts and test competencies that are set by industry. More than 100 industry partners, such as Lowe’s, Irwin Tools, 84 Lumber and ASE, help support the competition.

SkillsUSA, formerly known as Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, is a national partnership of students, teachers and industry, working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce by providing students with the opportunities to gain personal skills, workplace skills, and technical skills grounded in academics.

SkillsUSA chapters help students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations excel. SkillsUSA has more than 350,000 students and instructors as members at the national level.