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(Dickson, TN) – Area Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) students from both the Dickson and Clarksville campuses recently brought home plenty of hardware after participating in the annual SkillsUSA state competition.
Thirty students from both campuses made the trip to Chattanooga April 1 – 3, for the annual statewide championships and returned with 15 medals, 7 of them gold.
The chapter also brought home the Sliver Chapter of Distinction Award.
Deanna Wallace, Advisor, and Dr. Arrita Summers, President with Silver Chapter of Distinction Award
The award winners competed alongside 2500 other TCAT and secondary participants from across the state in 106 contests, demonstrating their talents in multiple career areas including manufacturing, hospitality, construction, welding, graphic design, photography, computer information technology and health care. Tennessee has over 11,000 students and professional SkillsUSA members annually.
Students at the competition commented that this experience gives them confidence to move forward in their career and it’s challenging and satisfying to be able to go and compete and represent their schools.
The chapter won the Silver Chapter of Excellence Award and the state winners for TCAT Dickson and Clarksville Campuses are as follows:
Gold:
Ian Childers – Advertising – Gold Medal/Clarksville campus
Sheena Tidwell – Esthetics – Gold Medal/Dickson campus
Brittany Crowder – Practical Nursing– Gold Medal/Dickson campus
Silver:
Ashlea Barber – Dental Assisting – Silver Medal/Dickson campus
Steven Gilmer and John Cook – Mechatronics/Dickson campus
Caitlin Drayer – Medical Math – Silver Medal/Dickson campus
Shelby Brown – Photography – Silver Medal/Dickson campus
Bridgette Mosley – Prepared Speech/Silver Medal/Clarksville campus
Cailee Heilig – Tshirt Design – Silver Medal/Clarksville campus
Victor Rodriguez – Welding Sculpture – Silver Medal/Clarksville campus
Bronze:
Dorothy Balcom – Customer Service – Bronze Medal/Dickson Campus
Sara Deffendal – Interview – Bronze Medal/Clarksville campus
Jamelia Long – Tshirt design – Bronze Medal/Clarksville campus
Kelvin Callicutt, Jonathan Dumas, and Mathew Woods – Welding Fabrication – Bronze Medal/Clarksville campus
Gold winners now move on to the national SkillsUSA contest In Louisville, KY June 25th through 28th.
SkillsUSA is an applied method of instruction for preparing America’s high-performance workers in public career and technical programs. It provides quality education experiences for technical school students in leadership, teamwork, citizenship and character development. It builds and reinforces self-confidence, work attitudes, teamwork and communication.
TCAT Dickson is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution, is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education, and complies with non-discrimination laws: Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, and ADA. Located on Highway 46 in Dickson, the technical training college also has extension campuses in Clarksville, Ashland City and Franklin. Additional information about the school is located at www.TCATDickson.edu.
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PHOTOS
Figure 2 Ian Childers (middle), Advertising Gold Medal Winner
Figure 3 Sheena Tidwell (middle), Esthetics Gold Medal Winner
Figure 3 Brittany Crowder, Practical Nursing Gold Medal Winner
Figure 4 Far right, Ashlea Barber, Dental Assisting Silver Medal Winner
Figure 5 Far left, John Cook and Steven Gilmer 2nd from left, Mechatronics, Silver Medal Winner
Figure 6 On left, Caitlin Drayer, Medical Math Silver Medal Winner
Figure 7 On the left, Shelby Brown, Photography Silver Winner
Figure 8 Far Left, Bridgette Mosley, Prepared Speech Silver Winner
Figure 9 Cailee Heilig T-Shirt Design Silver Medal Winner
Figure 10 Far Left, Victor Rodriguez, Welding Sculpture Silver Medal Winner
Figure 11 Far left, Dorothy Balcom, Customer Service Bronze Winner
Figure 12 Far Left, Sara Defendall, Job Interview Bronze Winner
Figure 13 Lower Right, Jonathan Dumas, Upper Right, Kelvin Calicutt, Third from right, Matthew Woods: Welding Fabrication Team Bronze Medal Winner
Not pictured, Jamelia Long, T-Shirt Bronze Medal Winner
Students were beyond proud when asked about their experiences. "Sara Deffendal, Job Interview Bronze medal winner stated, "It was an awesome educational experience! I appreciated the opportunity to participate in the state competition." The gold medal winner for Esthetics, Sheena Tidwell recalled, “I thought the SkillsUSA competition was a great experience. It was exciting to see so many other competitors with similar passions to mine and getting to see so many styles attempted by the competitors was really inspiring.”
Our CIT instructor and SkillsUSA advisor, Brandon Rives said, Seeing the students hard work and their commitment to their trade turn into victory and success, bring Joy to my heart. The opportunity to collaborate with employers, industry partners, and other schools is priceless, every year I come back with ideas to improve my classroom and a re-focus on the mission I have as an instructor. Another instructor, Mark Poe, has had competitors medal for the past three year said the experience was, "Awesome!"
Tennessee has over 11,000 students and professional SkillsUSA members annually. Students participate in various activities throughout the year including leadership training, community service and competition. To learn more about SkillsUSA Tennessee State Association visit;
TCAT Dickson is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution, is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education, and complies with non-discrimination laws: Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, and ADA. Located on Highway 46 in Dickson, the technical training college also has extension campuses in Clarksville, Ashland City, and Franklin. Additional information about the school is located at www.TCATDickson.edu.
