The Maplewood Career Center will be well-represented once again at the SkillsUSA National Competition, sending three students to compete in the week-long event from June 1-5 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA.
“The annual state competition brings together some of the best career and technical education students from across Ohio to compete against their peers, showcase their talents, and earn the opportunity to advance to the national championships,” Maplewood Career Center Dawn McClendon said in an email to The Weekly Villager.
The three students that are competing at the SkillsUSA National Competition are Nolan Hamilton, an electrical student who will be competing in the industrial motor control competition; Madalynn Lane, a medical assisting student who will be participating in the medical assisting category; Carter Desatnik, an automotive service technology student who will be competing in the automotive service competition.
“We are very proud of all of our winners and can’t wait for them to represent Maplewood Career Center on the national stage in June,” McClendon added in her email.
Maplewood Career Center sent 15 students to compete at the SkillsUSA Ohio State Conference in Columbus on May 5 and May 6 and five students medaled in their respective fields.
Hamilton, Lane and Desatnik will be the three Maplewood Career Center representatives but were not the only students who medaled as Matt Fuller, a medical assistant student, took second place in the medical assisting category and Samantha Whitlow won first place in the medical assisting category by competing in the phlebotomy competition.
“Within the past two years, I’ve worked very hard to achieve my goals in the medical field,” Whitlow noted in an email. “Winning States felt rewarding and has motivated me to continue to grow in this field.”
Fuller was also appreciative of his time at the SkillsUSA State Competition in Columbus.
“Placing at SkillsUSA State Competition meant a great deal to me, because it was a representation of all the hard work, I put in over the last two years,” he said in an email.
Hamilton is the second electrical student in as many years to appear in the industrial motor control national competition, following in the footsteps of graduate Ethan Thompson, who won first place in the industrial motor control category last year.
Like Thompson, Hamilton has studied under electrical instructor Joe Svonavec and will attempt to become the second consecutive Maplewood Career Center student to capture first place in industrial motor control.
“Maplewood has helped me grow personally by teaching me life lessons like resilience, patience and hard work,” Hamilton said in an email. “Winning States is more than just winning a competition. It gives me a chance at a better job, with better pay and a better future for myself.”
Lane will compete in the SkillsUSA National Competition having studied under Maplewood Career Center medical assisting teacher Alexis Rutledge.
Desatnik will compete in the SkillsUSA National Competition after having been in the automotive service technology course taught by automotive service technology instructor Michael Lovejoy.
“My instructor is the reason I was able to achieve what I have,” Desatnik added in an email. “Mr. Lovejoy saw something in me that I never could. He pushed me, uplifted me, and built my confidence. If it wasn’t for him, I would see myself as just another mechanic. Mr. Lovejoy not only gave me the ability to understand the material, but more importantly, the confidence to use my knowledge to excel.”
The Maplewood Career Center trio of students will not only represent the State of Ohio at the SkillsUSA National Competition but also attempt to secure their futures as appearing at the national level will give them an opportunity to network with prospective employers as they seek gainful employment beyond the Maplewood Career Center.
“Our students continue to prove that career and technical education prepares young people for real-world success,” Maplewood Career center Superintendent Randy Griffith said in an email. “Their accomplishments at SkillsUSA demonstrate not only technical skill, but professionalism, leadership, and perseverance.”
