Hancock Celebrates National Skills USA Champions
JULY 20, 2021 -- Students in Allan Hancock College’s SkillsUSA program shined during a national competition, with two students winning first place national championship awards.
Of the 20 Hancock students who competed in the 57th Annual National SkillsUSA Competition, nine earned gold, silver or bronze medals across three separate competition categories while going up against more than 3,700 other students. This year’s competition was held virtually from June 14 through June 18.
“We are so incredibly proud of our champions and all our SkillsUSA students who worked hard and competed at the national level,” said Hancock SkillsUSA Advisor Adelina Pozos. “They were great representatives of the college and the SkillsUSA program.”
This year, Hancock students Francisco Avila Estevez and Keila Lopez Villa took home the title of national SkillsUSA champions for their first-place win in the public service category. For their entry, the team documented their work on the college’s Emergency Food Share Program, which provided free bagged food to 450,000 community members in Santa Maria and Lompoc during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I exploded with applause when our team received the gold medal at the national competition. It was an amazing moment and one I will not be forgetting any time soon,” said Avila Estevez. “Overall, we just felt so proud of not only ourselves but also proud of our advisors for helping us get to the national level. They did a marvelous job helping us reach our goals this year.”
In addition to Avila Estevez and Lopez Villa’s first-place win, Hancock students Anthony Morin, David Gonzalez Bautista, Edgar Ramirez and Lynette Espinoza took home a silver medal in the entrepreneurship category. Students Evelyn Garcia Paz, Kevin Conde Leon and Mari Lopez took home bronze medals in the crime scene investigation category. Hancock students Lisette Guzman, Ana Rosas Pacheco, Shanterria Allen, Cristiana Flores and Jennifer Oseguera all placed within the top ten in their respective competition categories, which included criminal justice administration, job skills demonstration, extemporaneous speaking, welding and automotive refinishing.
SkillsUSA is a national organization created to teach students the technical skills required for employment in career technical educational fields, as well as the soft skills required in any modern workplace. The organization is a partnership of students, teachers, and industry representatives that work together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. The organization holds competitions annually to recognize the achievements of career and technical education students and to encourage them to strive for excellence. Visit the SkillsUSA website for more information.
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Photo Caption: Allan Hancock College SkillsUSA students celebrate championship wins at national competition.
