WAHPETON, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Sheyenne Valley Area Career and Technology Center in Valley City recently had 35 students and 6 advisors participate in the 45th Annual State Skills USA leadership and Skills Competition. The competition was held April 8-10 in Wahpeton.

Students competed in a variety of events including; Computers Skills, Welding Technology Skills, Automotive Technology Skills, Construction Technology Skills, Health Science Skills and Graphic Communication Skills along with a variety of Leadership events. Skills USA offers many opportunities for growth through competitions. Those students placing first in each event are eligible to compete at the National Skills USA Competition in Louisville, KY, June 25-29, 2018.

The SkillsUSA Championships in Louisville are competitive events showcasing the best career and technical education students in the U.S. Contests begin at the local level and continue through the state level and on to the national level.

Through an investment from business and industry partners of approximately $36 million, the National event occupies a space equivalent to 20 football fields. In 2017, there were more than 6,200 contestants in 100 separate events. Nearly 2,000 judges and contest organizers from labor and management make the national event possible.

The philosophy of the Championships is to reward students for excellence, to involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and to keep training relevant to employers’ needs.

Those students from the Sheyenne Valley Area Career Technology Center placing in the top 3 were as follows:

SkillsUSA Award Winners
Welding Sculpture Emerson Meidinger 1st place Gold

Welding Sculpture Aurora Faucett 2nd place Silver

Welding Sculpture Mason Haugen 3rd place Bronze

Carpentry Nick Kvilvang 2nd place Silver

Welding Tyler Guscetta 2nd place Silver

Mobile Electronics Michael Kratz 3rd place Bronze

Automotive Service Tech Tyler Trader 3rd place Bronze

Nurse Assisting Angela Larson 2nd place Silver

Job Interview Emerson Meidinger 3rd place Bronze

Electrical Construction Wiring Bryce Nelson 2nd place Silver

Job Skills Demonstration Jacee Lunde 1st place Gold

Pin Design Bethany Reiten 1st place Gold

Twelve total medal winners.
Mason Haugen was elected as State Skills USA Officer for the 2018-2019 school year. Emerson Meidinger will be serving next year as a Post-Secondary Officer while attending NDSCS.

Those individuals with a 1st place gold medal except for the Pin Design winner are eligible to attend the National SkillsUSA Competition. Those elected to State Office are also eligible to attend the conference which again is held in Louisville Kentucky on June 25th-29th.