Submitted PhotoWiregrass winners at SkillsUSA include Quanita Miller, Amanda Fulton, Inda Gilbert, Sarah Moman, Allen Paulo, Sarah Rojas, Jamie Grady, Summer Smith, Audrey McCoy, Jonathon Wolfe, William Weber, Coleman Rigdon, Geremy Brantley, Tristan Stalvey, Trevecca Gates, Shannon Marshall, Tristan Guice, Travius Mack and Donya Land.

VALDOSTA — Eleven gold medalists from Wiregrass Georgia Technical College are headed to National SkillsUSA competition in Kentucky this June after winning top place at the state-wide competition was held in Atlanta. 

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives working together to ensure America has a skilled work force, according to a Wiregrass press release. 

It is a national nonprofit organization serving teachers, high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skills service occupations, including health occupations. 

The SkillsUSA program hosts local, state and national competition for students to showcase their skills learned through hands-on training in the classroom. 

Wiregrass also had three students who earned silver medals and six with bronze medals, according to the press release. 

“Wiregrass is extremely proud of all our students who participated in the SkillsUSA competition. Our instructors did an excellent job preparing students for state competition,” Wiregrass President Dr. Tina K. Anderson said. “We are especially thrilled to have 11 students who won gold and who will represent Wiregrass and the State of Georgia at the National SkillsUSA Championships in June. We congratulate these students, faculty, and advisors.”

Wiregrass students who competed and won gold include Trevecca Gates, Ben Hill-Irwin Campus, crime scene investigation; Donya Land, Ben Hill-Irwin Campus, crime scene investigation; Shannon Marshall, Ben Hill-Irwin Campus, crime scene investigation; Travious Mack, Ben Hill-Irwin Campus, telecommunication cabling; Allen Paulo, Valdosta Campus, 3-D visualization and animation; Geremy Brantley, Valdosta Campus, 3-D visualization and animation; Tristan Stalvey, Valdosta Campus, automotive refinishing; Jonathon Wolfe, Valdosta Campus, collision repair technology; Tristan Guice, Valdosta Campus, computer programming; Jamie Grady, Valdosta Campus, esthetics (Marissa Gray – esthetics model); Summer Smith, Valdosta Campus, firefighting.

The state-level gold-medal winners will represent Wiregrass Georgia Tech at the SkillsUSA National Championships in June in Louisville, Ky.

Silver medal winners from Wiregrass are Otis King, Ben Hill-Irwin Campus, job interview; Sarah Rojas, Coffee Campus, job skills demonstration; Sarah Moman, Valdosta Campus, medical terminology.

Students who won bronze medals at the state level are Inda Gilbert, Cook Campus, job skill demonstration; Audrey McCoy, Valdosta Campus, commercial baking technology; William Weber, Valdosta Campus, computer programming; Colton Rigdon, Valdosta Campus, first aid; Amanda Fulton, Valdosta Campus, digital cinema productions; Quanitta Miller, Valdosta Campus, digital cinema productions.

Commercial baking and 3D visualization animation were new to the SkillsUSA competition this year and both areas brought home medals for Wiregrass. Other college participants include Austin Black, Amber Brown, Scott Centobene, Michelle Clark, Michael Cunningham, Lindsey Davis, Jamie Faircloth, Paul Hodge, Michael Horn, Mari Guadalupe Macias, Amber Magsanay, Travis Meares, Austin Pettis, Brooke Simmons, Paul Thomas, Abby Watkins and Tamiyah Wright.