Half of Maryland Competitors Finish in National Top Ten During SkillsUSA Competition

August 2, 2023

Maryland’s SkillsUSA student delegation brought home 24 medals from the 59th Annual National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC), recently held in Atlanta, Georgia.

A team of the state’s most talented Career and Technical Education (CTE) students showcased their skills in 95 CTE competitions. Demonstrating exemplary CTE training and preparation, Maryland students challenged 6,000 other student champions from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Maryland students competing in Graphic Imaging-Sublimation, Graphic Communications, Internetworking and First Aid-CPR are officially among the best in the nation, returning with gold medals. Silver medals were awarded to students competing in Promotional Bulletin Board and bronze medals were awarded to students competing in Career Pathways Showcase, Emergency Medical Technician, Quiz Bowl, Medical Math, Mobile Robotics Technology, Pin Design and Principles of Engineering-Technology.

In addition to outstanding student competition performances, two Maryland schools (Center of Applied Technology North and Dorchester Career and Technology Center) were among 24 to receive chapter excellence recognition, surpassing over 700 participating chapters across the nation. And Lilia Burkes, a rising senior at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center was elected as a SkillsUSA National Officer.

SkillsUSA Maryland, a premier Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO), has a statewide membership of 4,400 high school students. Members have consistently demonstrated their expertise and professionalism while participating throughout the year in a variety of leadership and competitive conferences and events.

The following students placed in the top 10 in the national competition:

SkillsUSA Maryland National Top Ten – 2023 National Leadership and Skills Conference

  • Gold Medal – First Aid-CPR – Amanda Hill: Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center – St. Mary’s County
  • Gold Medal – Graphic Communication – James Hovaker: Center of Applied Technology North – Anne Arundel County
  • Gold Medal – Graphic Imaging-Sublimation – AJ Halsey: Calvert Career and Technology Academy – Calvert County
  • Gold Medal – Internetworking – Joseph Viands: Center of Applied Technology South – Anne Arundel County
  • Silver Medal – Promotional Bulletin Board – Tori Brown, Riley King, Nisa Sillence: Carroll County Career and Technology Center – Carroll County
  • Bronze Medal – Career Pathways – Business, Management and Technology
    John Nelson, Lance Litzenberger, Aidya Wood: Boyd J. Michael III Technical High School – Washington County
  • Bronze Medal – Emergency Medical Technician – CJ Bell, Kaelyn White : Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center – St. Mary’s County
  • Bronze Medal – Quiz Bowl – Zena Brantuo, Aaliyah Davis, Addyson Jordan, Farah LeBlanc, James Olmsted, Francesca Onianwah, Corrine Welsh: North Point High School for STI – Charles County
  • Bronze Medal – Medical Math – Nancy Moluh: Thomas Edison High School of Technology – Montgomery County
  • Bronze Medal – Mobile Robotics Technology (MS) – Cecilia Dichlmann, Catrina Donmoyer: Worcester Technical High School – Worcester County
  • Bronze Medal – Pin Design (MS) – Aaliyah Drummond: Worcester Technical High School – Worcester County
  • Bronze Medal – Principles of Engineering-Technology – Matthew Beck: Worcester Technical High School – Worcester County
  • 4th Place – Criminal Justice – Keirstin Perez: North Point High School for STI – Charles County
  • 4th Place – Cyber Security (PS) – Adam Lederer, Matthew Nanas: Thomas Edison High School of Technology – Montgomery County
  • 5th Place – Additive Manufacturing Caden Keyser, Haden Pulido: Frederick Career and Technology Center – Frederick County