The UNM Gallup Skills USA Team competed this past weekend in the New Mexico Skills USA competition. Nineteen students competed and earned six medals. 

Through the UNM-G Center for Career and Technical Education, these high school students are dual-enrolled at UNM-Gallup in a variety of different career education programs. Their performance at the New Mexico competition qualifies them to compete at the National Skills USA event in Louisville, Ky. in June.

Congratulations to the students as well as their faculty sponsors: Ann Jarvis, principal, CCTE; Robert Encinio, instructor, Construction Technology, and Joe Sanchez, instructor, Welding Program.

The results:

  • Gold medal in welding fabrication: a three-person team from the CCTE Welding Technology Program fabricated a jack stand from specifications distributed earlier. Students worked with drafting personnel to develop a blueprint, which was submitted to the judging staff. Students created their project on Friday morning (about a six hour span); the team was comprised of Tyler Johnson, senior from Miyamura High School ((HS); Devin Spencer, senior from Miyamura HS; and Roman Thomas, senior from Gallup HS.
  • Gold medal in Career Pathways Showcase/Human Services: a three-person team from the CCTE Fire Science Technology program of study created an eight-minute presentation about one aspect of their training area. The team selected Incident Command System (ICS). This was presented via a Power Point presentation; examples of the students’ ICS 100 and 200 FEMA certifications, ICS books and a display of an ICS chain of command chart. The students shared their knowledge and information with four judges. The team members were Joelle Allen, senior from Miyamura HS; David Moreno, senior from Middle College HS; and Patric Soce, senior from Miyamura HS.
  • Gold medal in extemporaneous speaking: individual event during which time a contestant is given a topic and five minutes to prepare. Alec Baldwin, a senior from Miyamura HS, who is enrolled in the CCTE Fire Science Technology Program, was the recipient of the top honor.
  • Silver medal in customer service: Govinda Lingayat, a student in the CCTE Health Careers Program, participated in many different scenarios displaying how to best deal with angry, confused, irritates, multiple customers. Lingayat is a senior from Gallup HS.
  • Bronze medal in job skills demonstration: this contest has students demonstrate a skill related to his/her area of training. Leonard Tom, a senior from Gallup HS, is enrolled in the CCTE Fire Science Technology program of study, donned his personal protective equipment (fire gear), explaining the importance of each piece.
  • Bronze medal in welding: an individual event during which time the participant takes a written test and demonstrates six different welding processes. Andres Escamilla, senior from Miyamura HS, was selected third in the state out of approximately 30 competitors.