Students from Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) Career & Technology Academy (CTA) achieved outstanding success at the 52nd Annual SkillsUSA Maryland State Championship, held March 28–29, 2025 in Carroll County, MD.
A total of 37 students earned medals across 17 different contests, bringing home 23 medals for CTA. The nine students who earned gold medals will advance to the national stage, representing Maryland in five contests at the prestigious SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC) in Atlanta, Georgia, June 23–27, 2025.
“We had a terrific weekend at this year’s SkillsUSA Maryland State Competition,” said Carrie Akins, CTA Principal. “All of our students represented Calvert County with excellence, determination, and pride. We are so incredibly proud of each student that participated this year.”
In addition to having 37 student medal winners, CTA earned several additional top honors that reflect the strength and spirit of its SkillsUSA chapter. Seniors Charlee Lewis and Gianna LiCalzi were selected to serve as national voting delegates for Maryland, representing their peers at the national level this June in Atlanta. In addition, Michelle Miller, CTA Graphic Communications teacher, was recognized as the SkillsUSA Region IV (Southern Maryland) Advisor of the Year for her dedication to student and chapter success.
CTA was also honored as a Gold Chapter of Excellence, the highest level of recognition in the SkillsUSA Chapter Excellence Program (CEP). This prestigious award recognizes the chapter’s outstanding achievement in integrating SkillsUSA’s Framework of personal, workplace, and technical skills into its program of work. The honor reflects a strong commitment to student development and leadership.
Over the past three years, the chapter has progressed through the CEP under the leadership of CTA SkillsUSA advisor Sarah Jones, earning silver in the first year and achieving Gold Chapter of Excellence status for the past two years. This continued recognition is a testament to Jones’s dedication and the chapter’s sustained pursuit of excellence.
“Being recognized as a Gold Chapter of Excellence is a reflection of the incredible work our students and advisors put in all year,” said Jones. “CTA’s participation reflects our school’s commitment to empowering students with the skills necessary for success in their careers and lives. By engaging in SkillsUSA, we not only grow our students’ technical abilities, but we also foster leadership and teamwork skills and professional growth.”
2025 Calvert County SkillsUSA Maryland State Medalists
Advertising Design
Bronze – Cory Moyer
Audio Radio Production
Gold – Dwight Brooks & Liam McGowan
Career Pathways – Health Science
Silver – Jayden Morrison, Aashka Patel, and Sean Rawlings
Crime Scene Investigation
Silver – Kayla Freeman, Alvani Generillo, and Kathryn Phillips
Electrical Construction Wiring
Gold – Carson McCarthy
EMT
Gold – Matthew Kaiser and Ryan King (Both with North Beach VFD)
Silver – Austin Cooper (Solomons VFDRS) and Sophia Hale (Huntingtown)
Bronze – McKenna Boteler (North Beach) and Hunter Simpson (Prince Frederick)
Employment Application Process
Silver – Jordon Hurley
Firefighting
Gold – Oliver Fox (North Beach VFD)
Health Knowledge Bowl
Silver – Talia Farrow-Rodriguez, Reagan Fruin, Grace Marcos, and Emily Pouncey
HVAC
Silver – Caden Fridman
Job Interview
Silver – Gianna LiCalzi
Job Skill Demonstration Open
Bronze – Emiley Ruffin
Outstanding Chapter
Gold – Zoie Haun, Charlee Lewis, and Jalena Mason
Pin Design
Bronze – Indira Davis
Promotional Bulletin Board
Bronze – Ky DePhillip, Gabby Evans, and Jirah Tendero
Teamworks (Construction)
Silver – Alina Billups, Jack Cassidy, Isabella Cox-Pace, and Ava Jacobs
Welding
Silver – Colin Gribble
CTA extends heartfelt appreciation to the dedicated teachers, mentors, community partners, and coaches who supported students throughout the year and helped make this level of success possible. “This kind of success doesn’t happen by accident,” said Akins. “It’s the result of hard work, caring educators, and an entire community that believes in preparing students for life after high school. We are proud of every single participant.”
About SkillsUSA – SkillsUSA is a national partnership of students, teachers, and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. The organization empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders, and responsible citizens through skills development, leadership training, and career readiness experiences.
