MUSCLE SHOALS– Northwest-Shoals Community College (NW-SCC) recently competed in the SkillsUSA Alabama State Leadership and Skills Conference where 14 career tech students brought home medals, with five winning state competition and four qualifying for the national competition in Louisville, Ky.
NW-SCC students Amber Hutcheson, of Bear Creek, (Job Skill Demonstration Open); Rebecca Borden, of Florence, (Job Skill demonstration 
A); Christian Darnell, of Tuscumbia, (Job Information Manual, a state only competition); Joseph Ezell, of Five Points, Tenn., (Carpentry) and Jonathan Howard, of Rogersville, (Cabinetmaking); won gold at the State Skills USA Competition recently. Their first place wins qualify them to represent Alabama at the 52nd annual SkillsUSA National Competition June 20-24, 2016. They will compete against more than 6,000 career and technical education students.
In addition to the gold medalists, several NW-SCC students also won silver and bronze in the competition. Brittney Vernon, of Florence, (Cosmetology); Amanda Adkins, of Tuscumbia, (Job Skill Information Manual); Marcus Smith, of Florence, (Cabinetmaking) won silver medal honors while Marlee Thompson, of Moulton, (Men’s Hair Design); Hannah Arnett, of Florence, (Esthetics); Alex Peavler, of Decatur, (Prepared Speech); Evan Caraway, of Florence, (Cabinetmaking); Michael Simpson, of Florence, (Job Interview) and Colten Powers, of Cypress Inn, Tenn. (Technical Drafting) won bronze medal honors.
NW-SCC SkillsUSA sponsors are: MeLinda Grissom (received Advisor of the Year in the Northwest District), Callie Bankston, Titus Gresham, Lin Liles and Brian Keeton.
Also, Northwest-Shoals Community College received an award for hosting the 2016 Northwest District High School SkillsUSA competition.
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA’s mission is to empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. The SkillsUSA organization works to help students excel. SkillsUSA serves more than 300,000 students and instructors annually. The organization has 13,000 school chapters in 54 state and territorial associations. More than 14,500 instructors and administrators are professional members of SkillsUSA.
Media Release/Trent Randolph
Public Information Officer
Northwest-Shoals Community College
