LONGVIEW, TX - Pine Tree High School's SkillsUSA chapter recently demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication at the SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Competition held in Corpus Christi, Texas on April 3-7. Competing against top talent from across the state, Pine Tree High School students showcased their expertise in various categories, earning top honors and recognition for their outstanding achievements.
The chapter's representation at the competition comprised 47 students, marking Pine Tree High School's largest participation in over three decades. Over 6,000 students statewide submitted projects and competed in various events, such as Automotive Maintenance, Light Repair, Diagnostics, Building Maintenance, Tactical Response Team, and Information Technology Services.
Here are the highlights from the competition:
Automotive:
Superior Blue Ribbon and Best in Show: Abraham Perelas - Auto/Diesel Component
Superior Blue Ribbon and Plaque: Alexis Klein and Cesia De Los Santos - Auto/Diesel Component
Superior Blue Ribbon: Sadie Coker - Auto/Diesel Component
Superior Blue Ribbon: Kayden Mondragon, Josue Roque, and Nathan Culajay - Auto/Diesel Component
Superior Blue Ribbon: Aiden Alvey, Kenny Redfern, and Jeronimo Galvan - Auto/Diesel Component
Superior Blue Ribbon: Mateo Graugnard - Auto/Diesel Component
Excellence Red Ribbon: Elyjah Escoviedo - Auto/Diesel Component
Carpentry/Construction:
Superior Blue Ribbon and Best of Show: Team of Aaron Tello, Chris Solarzano, David Rodriguez, Omar Aguilar - Hexagon Picnic Table
Superior Blue Ribbon: Kamron Horton - Indoor Furniture
Superior Blue Ribbon: Amy Castillo - Wagon
Superior Blue Ribbon: Team of Dax McCain, Cuauhtemoc Juarez, Kenneth Redfern - Gaming Desk
Superior Blue Ribbon: Team of Jonathan Paz, Luis Retana - Ukulele
Omar Aguilar and Jonathan Paz individually competed against 20 of the best High School Carpenters in the state and performed well.
Culinary Arts:
Superior Blue Ribbon and Plaque: Olivia Sessions and Korey Morehouse
Superior Blue Ribbon: Paisley Dean
Superior Blue Ribbon: Yadira Villegas
Superior Blue Ribbon: Audrey Jenkins
Superior Blue Ribbon: Eduardo Osuna
Excellence Red Ribbon: Brooklyn Stafford
Excellence Red Ribbon: Gracelynn Ray
Welding:
Silver Medal: Leslie Ortega - Welding Sculpture
Superior Blue Ribbon: Eugenio Cerda, Alex Venegas, and Caleb Rincon - Welding Furniture
Superior Blue Ribbon: Isaac Velazquez - Welding General Project
Superior Blue Ribbon: Aaron Tello and Abraham Perales - Welding Pits
Career Readiness Achievement:
Aaron Tello
Tristan Roberson
Angela Deel
SkillsUSA is built on three foundational pillars that emphasize (1) personal development skills like integrity, work ethic, and professionalism, (2) workplace skills such as decision-making, teamwork, and planning, and (3) technical skills rooted in academics, encompassing service orientation, professional development, and job-specific expertise.
Advisors of the PTHS SkillsUSA chapter include Bryan Brown, Chuck Davis, Jamie Hudman, and Mark Thomas.
Pine Tree High School plans to expand its SkillsUSA chapter to include the Audio/Video program in the upcoming year.
Business partners are invited to support Pine Tree High School’s SkillsUSA organization and competitive teams by offering mentorship and coaching. For more information, please contact Jacob Lusk, Pine Tree ISD’s Director of Career and Technical Education.