The combined team of the Aberdeen and the Hoquiam SkillsUSA programs will be sending a record seven competitors to the national conference June 19-23 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Aberdeen High School senior Trace Christensen won two medals — including gold in Prepared Speech — to secure his place at the national conference at the SkillsUSA State Conference held in Yakima last week, according to Aberdeen SkillsUSA adviser Chuck Veloni. Trace, along with partner Bailey Harper, also won silver in Audio/Radio Production.
Winning a gold medal and competing at nationals with Trace will be the Urban Search and Rescue Robotics team, made up of Aberdeen juniors Ben Cherry and Marina Urvina; Aberdeen Skills Center student and Montesano junior Gage Iverson in HVAC and Refrigeration; and Hoquiam sophomore Trent Wood in Sheet Metal.
Aberdeen Skills Center student and Hoquiam senior Liam Ballard took the gold medal in Major Appliance, but has opted not to attend the national competition. Stepping up to take his place on the national team is Aberdeen Skills Center student and Hoquiam junior Walker Dunn, who won silver in that category.
Also competing at nationals will be Aberdeen junior Tanner Nelson, who was selected to compete with three other students from Centralia High School as part of Washington State’s Team Works group. Team Works has four students build the equivalent of a small home where they will be judged on construction, masonry, plumbing and electrical. Tanner will be the electrical specialist.
Medalists included:
Gold: Trace Christensen, Prepared Speech; Marina Urvina and Ben Cherry, Robotics: Urban Search & Rescue; Gage Iverson, HVAC & Refrigeration; Trent Wood, Sheet Metal; and Liam Ballard, Major Appliance.
Silver: Tanner Nelson, HVAC & Refrigeration; Walker Dunn, Major Appliance; Trace Christensen & Bailey Harper, Audio Production; Derek Stoken, Sheet Metal; and Blake Beeson, Extemporaneous Speech.
Bronze: Austin Hagen, HVAC & Refrigeration; Colby Wilson, Major Appliance Repair; and Zach Severson, Sheet Metal.
Other students who attended and competed at the state conference were Taylor Gran-Johnston, Bryson Grenier, Matt Plato, Matt Zimmerman, Gabe Thurman, Patrick Schroeder, Nolan Palmer, Eric Haven, Thomas Williams, Zack Volkert, and Michaela Leach.
SkillsUSA is an organization of students, teachers and businesses that provides educational programs, events and competitions that support career and technical education in the nation’s schools.
To help raise the $15,000 needed to send its students and advisers to the national conference, the Aberdeen High School Chapter of SkillsUSA will be hosting a Cowboy Bar-B-Que May 24 at the school commons from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased from any SkillsUSA member. Donations also are being accepted at Aberdeen High School.
