Cherokee Students Win Awards at SkillsUSA Conference

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More than 2,000 students attended SkillsUSA Georgia’s annual State Leadership and Skills Conference last week, and 10 Cherokee County School District students from Cherokee and Etowah high schools won awards in several categories.

Two Cherokee students earned first-place awards in healthcare categories, and a team of Cherokee students placed third in the Health Knowledge Bowl. Etowah students earned second and third place finishes in video production competitions.

“SkillsUSA allows our career-focused students the chance to demonstrate the workforce-ready skills they are learning in our high schools,” said Cherokee Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo. “We are extremely proud of these students, who have shown they are among the best in the state among their peers and are well-prepared to pursue potential careers that they discovered in one of our classrooms.”

Students competed in a variety of events based on SkillsUSA’s high school programs throughout the state – Architecture, Construction, Communication, Transportation, Culinary Arts, Personal Care Services and Public Safety. Contests are based on industry standards, and they’re designed and judged by business partners. Business and industry partners welcomed competitors into their facilities to test their skills, and created a dynamic Career Expo for attendees.

The Cherokee County School District winners are:

• Laura Martin, Cherokee: first place, Basic Healthcare Skills
• Gabby Tercero, Cherokee: first place Nurse Assisting
• Jenna Murray, Etowah: second place, Digital Cinema Production
• Xavier Owens, Etowah: second place, Digital Cinema Production
• Wade Hodges, Cherokee: third place, Health Knowledge Bowl
• Brooke McArthur, Cherokee: third place Health Knowledge Bowl
• Priya Patel, Cherokee: third place Health Knowledge Bowl
• Brooke Putnum, Cherokee: third place, Health Knowledge Bowl
• Ryan Harris, Etowah: third place, Television (Video) Production
• James Stevens, Etowah: third place, Television (Video) Production

SkillsUSA is a national, nonprofit organization that empowers students to become world-class workers, leaders, and responsible citizens.

SkillsUSA Georgia is the Career and Technical Student Organization for students enrolled in Architecture, Construction, Communication and Transportation (ACCT), Cosmetology and Public Safety Pathways in Georgia’s secondary schools.

Photo: from left, Laura Martin, Brooke Putnam, Wade Hodges, Priya Patel, McKensie Brooke McArthur and Gabriela Tercero. Credit: Cherokee County School District