HICKORY––They’re as good as gold.

They’re the members of Catawba Valley Community College’s Skills USA team, and they recently took home “gold chapter,” “outstanding chapter” and other titles––a total of four gold and two silver medals, plus other high-placing titles––at the recent Skills USA Nationals in Atlanta.

Some 6,000 students from across America attended the conference, June 24-28, to compete and display their skills in front of a large panel of judges. CVCC also earned “gold chapter of distinction” for the eighth straight year and received the “outstanding chapter” award for 11 consecutive years.

Gold medalists included Riley Land, Dyhan Patel, Phiona Patel and Charlotte Zimmerman (entrepreneurship); Joselyn Garcia, Lauren Land and Makala Pitman (outstanding chapter); and Jessica Frierson, Jennifer Schumacher and Gracie Zazzi (promotional bulletin board). Silver medalists included Joseph Fullen (Internet) and Ella Ikerd (screen-printing).

Other top finishers included Rylan Johnson and Jacky Lam (fourth place, robotics: urban search & rescue); Christopher Duran (fifth place, medical math); Piper Strong (sixth place, open job skills demonstration); Jadon Spencer (sixth place, marine service technology); Suzanna Smart (seventh place, pin design); Stella Hughes (seventh place, T-shirt design); Lydia Owens (eighth place, photography); Barrett Rhoney (electrical construction wiring); and Xavier Springs (prepared speech).

CVCC representatives extended thanks to all advisers and administrators who attended the conference and assisted with bringing the students’ skills to light. CVCC is proud of every national and state competitor who participated in the Skills USA conferences this year.

To learn more about Skills USA and what makes the CVCC Skills USA Chapter so impressive, call executive director Tammy Muller of Strategic Business Partnerships and Skills USA, at (828) 327-7000, ext. 4323.