Twenty-six University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology-Crossett welding students competed at the Arkansas SkillsUSA Conference, with several earning top honors. The event was held this spring in Hot Springs, according to a news release.
Three UAM-CTC college welding students and three UAM-CTC concurrently enrolled high school welding students from Crossett High School and Hamburg High School won medals.
In the college division for Pipe Welding, Josue Cruz of UAM-CTC won a gold medal, Trace Jones of UAM-CTC won a silver medal and Ethan Smith of UAM-CTC won a bronze medal, earning a sweep of the event for UAM-CTC, according to the release.
Ethan McElroy of Crossett High School won a gold medal in Secondary Welding Sculpture, and Cayden Moyer of Crossett High School won a silver medal in Secondary Welding Sculpture. Larry Page Jr. of Hamburg High School won a silver medal in Secondary Job Skills.
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Zander Cameron (Hamburg), Hunter Carpenter (Hamburg), Caleb Cossey (Hamburg), Jonah Culp (Crossett), Sean Daniel (Hamburg), Cody Franklin (Hamburg), Chris Gulledge (Crossett), Carson McCone (Crossett) and Blake Morgan (Crossett) competed in Secondary Pipe Welding.
Chris Aycock (Hamburg), Nick Aycock (Hamburg), Dalton Craig (Crossett), Bethany Fancher (Hamburg), Karson Maxwell (Hamburg) and Jonathan Sivils (Crossett) competed in Secondary Welding.
Mateo Martinez Mejia (UAM-CTC) and Malachi Willman (UAM-CTC) competed in College Welding.
Elizabeth Holliman (Hamburg) and Landon Richardson (Hamburg) competed in Secondary Welding Sculpture.
Netagee Webb (Crossett) and Armod Williams (Crossett) competed in Secondary Job Skills.
“This is the sixth year we have participated in SkillsUSA,” said Donnie DuBose, welding instructor at UAM-CTC. “We have won 25 medals in the six years we have competed. This year, our college students swept the pipe welding competition, winning gold, silver and bronze. Our concurrent welders won gold and silver in the sculpture competition and silver in job skills. All the students who participated demonstrated professionalism and represented the university with pride. We will continue to set our standards high at UAM-CTC.”
Tracy Tucker, vice chancellor of UAM-CTC congratulated the students for their success.
“Our students worked incredibly hard to develop the skills needed to compete at the SkillsUSA Conference,” Tucker said.
“We are so proud of our students for their dedication to the trade and their efforts to prepare for competition. Our SkillsUSA chapter advisor, Mr. DuBose, does excellent work with our students to develop their skills and prepare them for competition. We also want to acknowledge the valuable partnerships we have with the Hamburg Public Schools, Crossett Public Schools and the Monticello Occupational Education Center. Their support helped make this opportunity available to our high school welding students,” Tucker said.
Students who earn gold medals at the Arkansas SkillsUSA Conference are eligible to compete at the National SkillsUSA Conference in Atlanta to be held June 24-28.
According to its website, SkillsUSA “is a national membership association serving high school, college and middle school students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, including health occupations, and for further education. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce.”
UAM-CTC offers a certificate of proficiency in welding and a technical certificate in welding technology. To learn more about these programs, call (870) 460-2004.
Ethan McElroy of Crossett High School won a gold medal in Secondary Welding Sculpture at the 2024 Arkansas SkillsUSA Conference. (Special to The Commercial)