ACTC Hosts SkillsUSA Competitions

The SkillsUSA Kentucky regional competition hosted by ACTC March 11 was the chance for students to show their leadership and technical skills.

The 170 students came from ACTC, Boyd County High School Career and Technical Center, Carter County High School Career and Technical Center, Greenup County High School Area Technical Center, Lawrence County High School, Elliott County High School and Russell High School Area Technical Center.

Technical programs at the secondary level are very valuable, said Patrick McGlone, BCHS welding instructor. Students can be career ready when they walk out the door, and they can be ready for college to increase their career options.

We teach safety, persistence in completing tasks, teamwork and housekeeping, in addition to technical skills, McGlone said. Skills USA gives students the chance to show what they have learned.

Skills USA Kentucky is a partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives, working together to ensure Kentucky has a skilled workforce. It is a chapter of the national SkillsUSA organization that serves trade, industrial and technical students in high schools, career and technology centers and community and technical colleges.

I believe the future has to be secured by the young people in this competition, said Janie Kitchen ACTC Dean of Academic Affairs. The leadership and organizational skills that they have learned, along with their technical skills, will serve as a basis for their livelihood and that of our community.

These students also learn respect for others, which will serve us all well in the future, Kitchen added.

The competitions were a teamwork effort between the schools and ACTC. Leadership, construction, electrical and welding contests were held March 11 at the Technology Drive Campus. In the previous week, automobile, diesel, and drafting contests were held at the ACTC Roberts Drive Campus, computer contests at Carter County High School and residential wiring contests at Russell High School.

ACTC student winners in the SkillsUSA post-secondary contests were Architectural Drafting (CADD): First - Charlie R. Vanover, II, Wurtland; Auto Service Technology: First - Alfred J. Moats, Jr., Ashland; Second - Freeman A. Kelly, Louisa; Third - Jordan Adkins, Sandy Hook; and Diesel Technology: First - Christopher D. Foltz, South Point, OH; Second - Travis S. Smith, Ashland.

Secondary and post-secondary winners from the Northeast Region-District 10 Competition will compete at the state level later this spring.