Story provided by Meridian Technology Center
Information Technology student Ethan McGuire won first place in the Action Skills contest at the recent SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Contest.
The contest requires a five- to seven-minute demonstration of occupational skills related to a student’s training area. Contestants use examples, experiments, displays or practical operations to explain their skills using visual aids. The Stillwater student demonstration focused on connecting a device to two types of networks.
Information Technology students Gabriel Belford, Perkins, and Casey Harvey, Guthrie, won third place in the Web Design Team contest.
Other Meridian students who placed in the top ten include Stillwater students Aidan Hawkins, Alexander Whitley, Alissa Ricketson, Aubrey Bennet, Brock Callaway, Cantrell Haley, Craig Garrett Knutson, Dillon Henry, Haylie Williamson, Hollis Mayfield, Levi Miracle, Mason Walker, Mitchell Harrison, Owen Lim, Remington Denton and Tyler Brown; Guthrie students Ashton Permenter, Isaac Wilson, Luke Savage and Skyler Wright; Pawnee student Weston Allenbaugh; Perkins students Emma Bjune and Stephen Johnson; Joseph Hermann, Orlando; and Glencoe student Aiden Henninger.
Full-time adult and high school students attending Meridian can join one of several CareerTech Student Organizations (CTSOs) related to their field of study: Business Professionals of America; Family, Career and Community Leaders of America; HOSA – Future Health Professionals; or SkillsUSA.
These organizations allow students to gain leadership skills and compete against other technology center students from across the state and nation. During each round of competition, students develop and demonstrate skills that include public speaking, presenting, working together as a team, interviewing and technical skills related to their area of study.
Meridian had more than 160 high school students and adults compete this spring in CTSO state skills contests. Of those, 55 won first place, earning the chance to advance and compete at the national level. In addition, 71 students placed in the Top 10 of their contests.
Students and SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, instructors and industry representatives working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible citizens. The association’s framework includes personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics.
Students enrolled in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Automotive Technology, Business Technology, Carpentry, Collision Repair, Computer Aided Drafting, Cosmetology, Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts, Digital Media, Electrical Technology, Energy and Power, Information Technology, Precision Metal Fabrication, Product Development and Machining, and Welding are eligible to join SkillsUSA. Meridian pays the membership fee for students to join their CTSO. The Meridian SkillsUSA chapter has 495 members.
Meridian Technology Center has been a driver of economic development since 1975. With a mission to educate, enrich lives and secure economic futures, Meridian offers full-time career training programs, short courses, workforce and economic development assistance and entrepreneurial support to residents from the Agra, Carney, Glencoe, Guthrie, Morrison, Mulhall-Orlando, Pawnee, Perkins-Tryon, Perry and Stillwater school districts. The school has locations in Stillwater and Guthrie. Meridian is one of 29 schools within Oklahoma’s CareerTech system.
For more information or to enroll, visit meridiantech.edu or contact a career counselor by phone at (405) 377-3333 or toll-free at (888) 607-2509.
