NCSD Students Excel at 2023 SkillsUSA National Competition

Natrona County School District: 

NCSD high-school students traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, to compete in the 2023 SkillsUSA National Championship.

Kasey Jones (Automotive Service Technology), Olyn Forsman (Baking and Pastry Arts), Hunter Barten (Carpentry), and Danaea McFall (Welding Sculpture) joined their peers from around the country for this exciting opportunity to learn and showcase their excellence in the career and technical industry and leadership.

Throughout the year, students can participate in multiple SkillsUSA opportunities at the district and state level to expand their knowledge and grow their exceptional skills in a variety of areas, including A/V Technology & Communication, Architecture & Construction, Food/Hospitality & Human Services, Health Sciences, Manufacturing, Public Safety, STEM/ & Information Technology,

Transportation/Distribution/Logistics, and Leadership Development. Together with teachers and industry professionals, students learn, practice, and display workplace, academic, leadership, and technical skills as part of the SkillsUSA program.

“This competition allowed these students to participate in something bigger than themselves and the opportunity to create new relationships with peers and industry partners that support SkillsUSA. It is exciting to see the student's excitement and confidence grow,” shared Pathways Innovation Center Automotive teacher Troy Corson, “Most importantly, their experiences will last a lifetime as they pursue potential careers in the industry after graduation.”

As part of the Pathways Innovation Center SkillsUSA team, Kasey Jones competed in Automotive Service Technology - placing 2nd in the nation, and Olyn Forsman competed in Baking and Pastry Arts - placing 8th in the nation.

"The opportunities provided as part of SkillsUSA are a valuable addition to the tremendous educational opportunities provided across the district. We are incredibly proud of the outstanding success of each student competitor and offer them our greatest congratulations on this accomplishment," NCSD Director of Public Relations Tanya Southerland shared.

“SkillsUSA empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders, and responsible American citizens. SkillsUSA improves the quality of our nation’s future skilled workforce through the development of Framework skills that include personal, workplace, and technical skills grounded in academics. The SkillsUSA Championships are competitive events showcasing the best career and technical education students. The philosophy of the Championships is to reward students for excellence, to involve industry in directly evaluating student performance, and to keep training relevant to employers’ needs.”