Results of Montana SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference listed

Press release

Montana’s SkillsUSA held the 44th annual State Leadership and Skills Conference on the Montana State University-Northern campus last week. Northern has hosted the event since 1972.

This year SkillsUSA celebrates 50 years of excellence — “50 Years of Champions at Work.” Since its beginning, SkillsUSA, formerly known as VICA, the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, has been a partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives working together to ensure that America continues to have skilled workers joining the workforce.

The national organization has served more than 11.2 million members since founding in 1965.

Dedicated SkillsUSA students from 33 schools around the state gathered to participate in the various competitions this week. This year’s theme for the conference was: “SkillsUSA: 50 years Champions at Work.”

SkillsUSA is a popular club in Montana, with about 358 students coming to Havre to compete. This year more than $250,000 in scholarships and prizes were given to the winners. The winners of each category have an opportunity to compete in the national gathering in Louisville, Kentucky, in June. Along with the national competition option, students can receive medals of bronze, silver or gold, according to their achievement status, scholarships, donated prizes and personal credit.

SkillsUSA motivates and trains its members. Their motto is: “Preparing for leadership in the world of work.” Each participant must be a member of the national and state associations in order to compete.

When joining the association, students make a pledge that reads: “Upon my honor I pledge to prepare myself by diligent study and ardent practice to become a worker whose services will be recognized as honorable, to base my expectations of reward upon the solid foundation of service, to respect my vocation, to bring repute to myself, and to spare no effort in upholding these ideals.”

It is evident from this pledge that SkillsUSA not only encourages job training, but also produces workers who have a firm grasp of what true service, respect, dedication and honor are. Many students demonstrate these values through competition in one of SkillsUSA’s most popular categories — job interview. Twenty-six Montana students took part in the job interview competition this year. During their interviews students are able to convey their values, confidence in their skills, and respect for the work and employers they would deal with. Adeptness in job interviews is vital for all future members of the workforce.

The winners of this year’s competitions are:

Pin Design High School

Gold: Jesse Long, Charlo High School

Silver: Brooklyn Foust, Charlo High School

Bronze: Dugan Runkel, Charlo High School

Architectural Drafting, Option 1 Advanced High School

Gold: Yancy Gagne, CM Russell High School

Silver: Aiden Cormier, Capital High School

Bronze: Eli Walker, Capital High School

Architectural Drafting, Option 2 Intermediate High School

Gold: Jordan Anspach, Jefferson High School

Silver: Lexi Vossler, Jefferson High School

Bronze: Mattie Steinley, Sidney High School

Automotive Service Technology College/Postsecondary

Gold: Conner Schnicke, MSU-Northern

Silver: D.J. Miller, MSU Billings-COT

Automotive Service Technology High School

Gold: Kier Pederson, Billings Career Center

Silver: Anton Poelman, Capital High School

Bronze: Levi Huston, Havre High School

Cabinetmaking High School

Gold: Greg Wadsworth, Thompson Falls High School

Silver: Calvin Wearley, Augusta High School

Bronze: Samantha Johnson, Thompson Falls High School

Carpentry High School

Gold Nicholas Zichuhr, Billings Career Center

Silver: Duncan Beckner, Great Falls High School

Bronze: Riley Wadsworth, CM Russell High School

CNC Milling High School

Gold: Michael Selva, Capital High School

Silver: Keaton Kurokawa, Capital High School

Bronze: Krestin Stevens, Capital High School

Residential Systems Installation and Maintenance College/Postsecondary

Gold: Beau Dauwalder, MSU-Northern

Diesel Equipment Technology College/Postsecondary

Gold: Joe Vernon, MSU-Northern

Silver: Ethan Kluthe, City College Billings

Bronze: Randy Roeber, MSU-Northern

Diesel Equipment Technology High School

Gold: Daniel Davis, Broadwater High School

Silver: Ty Parsons, Fergus High School

Promotional Bulletin Board High School

Gold: Team E, B. DeGrandpre, M. Roylance, Charlo High School

Silver: Team D, S. Clark, B. Foust, Charlo High School

Bronze: Team I, A. Cormier, E. Walker, Capital High School

Technical Drafting, Option 1 Advanced High School

Gold: Josh Bishop, Frenchtown High School

Silver: Dylan Tillinger, Capital High School

Bronze: Stuart Gray, CM Russell High School

Technical Drafting, Option 2: Fundamental High School

Gold: Rebekah Russell, Fergus High School

Silver: Josef Mindt, Sidney High School

Bronze: Trent Parsons, Fergus High School

Precision Machining Technology High School

Gold: Logan Sluggett, Winnett High School

Silver: Spencer Schaner, CM Russell High School

Bronze: Joe Stahl, Winnett High School

Welding-Combination

Gold: Wyatt Carda, Custer County High School

Silver: Robert Schweyer, Great Falls High School

Bronze: Hunter Seymour- Butte High School

Welding-Arc

Gold: Wyatt McHenry, Glacier North High School

Silver: Kenneth Williams, Butte High School

Bronze: Nick Hill, Broadwater High School

Welding-Basic

Gold: Ted Schinmann, Red Lodge High School

Silver: Hadley Snortland, Capital High School

Bronze: Gregory Montgomery, Charlo High School

Chapter Business Procedure High School

Gold: Team A, S. Pena, S. Pester, T. Smith, G. Spicher, J. Wicks, K. Borlaug, North Star High School

Basic Wood

Gold: Parker Rapp, Augusta High School

Silver Brady Fryberger, Charlo High School

Bronze Courtney Henry, Augusta High School

Technical Computer Applications High School

Gold: Thatcher Smith -North Star High School

Silver: Mickey Harwood, Butte High School

Bronze: Sheridan Spicher -North Star High School

Welding Sculpture

Gold: Josh Egan, Helena High School

Silver: Chase Zander, Helena High School

Bronze: Tucker Bevis, Winnett High School

Extemporaneous Speaking College/Postsecondary

Gold: Sheridan Stranger Horse, MSU-Northern

Extemporaneous Speaking High School

Gold: Jerrin Strenge, Winnett High School

Silver: Makayla Paul, Centerville High School

Bronze: Jewel Wicks, North Star High School

Job Skill Demonstration Open High School

Gold: Brooklinn Hunt, St. Ignatius High School

Silver; Corey Hayes, Augusta High School

Bronze; Mckenzie Lencioni, Centerville High School

Prepared Speech High School

Gold: Nicholas Sweeney, Fergus High School

Silver: Ariana Marshall, Centerville High School

Opening and Closing Ceremonies High School

Gold: Team A, C. Chvilicek, P. King, K. Megan, S. Pena, J. Simonson, J. Wicks, J. Snow, North Star High School

Silver: Team AW, K. Keith, T. Bevis, C. Wollman, L. Sluggett, C. Atchison, B. Folda, J. Stahl, Winnett High School

Quiz Bowl High School

Gold: A. Oostema, T. Carlson, G. Willard, T. Hansen, C. Roe, K. Stevenson, Manhattan Public Schools

Silver: Team W, J. Strenge, K. Keith, C. Wollman, L. Sluggett, J. Stahl, Winnett High School

Bronze: Team H, A. McDermott, L. Huston, N. Tanner, Q. Kallenberger, N. Rismon, Havre High School

Job Interview High School

Gold: Peytan King, North Star High School

Silver: Samantha Pester, North Star High School

Bronze: Sydney Boyce, Billings Career Center

Job Interview College/Postsecondary

Gold: Joe Vernon, MSU-Northern

Chapter Display High School

Gold: Team B, S. Andersen, B. DeGrandpre, Charlo High School

Silver: Team H, J. Nye, A. Panagakis, J. Strong, Harrison High School

Bronze: Team A, A. Scott, K. McGee, A. Furr, Centerville High School

Chapter Business Procedure

Gold: North Star High School

Power Equipment Technology High School

Gold: Derek Neel, Broadwater High School

Silver: Noah Youde, Jefferson High School

Bronze: Tristan Pierce, Jefferson High School