Southwestern Community College (SWCC) career and technical education students finished strong at the 2023 Iowa SkillsUSA Championships in Ankeny on Friday, April 28, with six students placing first and therefore qualifying for the National SkillsUSA Championships in Atlanta, Georgia, from June 19-23. SWCC swept the electrical construction wiring (post-secondary division) bringing home all three of the top placings.
SWCC’s winning students, listed by place within their respective categories, follow:
Automotive Refinishing Technology (Secondary Division):
- First Place: Jayden Dierks of Lorimor, Winterset High School
Automotive Refinishing Technology (Post-Secondary Division):
- First Place: Ethan Mitchell of Afton
Automotive Service Technology (Secondary Division):
- Second Place: Grant Trucks of Winterset, Winterset High School
Collision Repair Technology (Secondary Division):
- First Place: Lucas Lynch of Creston, Creston High School
Collision Repair Technology (Post-Secondary Division):
- First Place: Cody Winkler of Lorimor
Carpentry (Secondary Division):
- Second Place: Jake Cox of Lenox, Lenox High School
- Third Place: Isaac Grundman of Lenox, Lenox High School
Carpentry (Post-Secondary Division):
- Second Place: Tyson Smith of Creston
Electrical Construction Wiring (Secondary Division):
- First Place: Cole Binning of Woodburn, Clarke High School
- Second Place: KJ Fry of Osceola, Clarke High School
Electrical Construction Wiring (Post-Secondary Division):
- First Place: Brady Pearson of Knoxville
- Second Place: Osten Blevins of Osceola
- Third Place: Kurtis Noonan of Carlisle
During April each year, Iowa SkillsUSA chapters gather in central Iowa to compete in more than 70 career and technical-related divisions. The top three place winners are recognized. The top place winner qualifies for the national contest which features opportunities to compete against students from all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Pictured above (L to R): Southwestern Community College Electrical Construction Wiring (Post-Secondary Division) SkillsUSA state winners Osten Blevins of Osceola, second place; Brady Pearson of Knoxville, first place; and Kurtis Noonan of Carlisle, third place.
Pictured below (in order): Jayden Dierks, Automotive Refinishing Technology (Secondary Division); Ethan Mitchell, Automotive Refinishing Technology (Post-Secondary Division); Grant Trucks, Automotive Service Technology (Secondary Division); Lucas Lynch, Collision Repair Technology (Secondary Division); Cody Winkler, Collision Repair Technology (Post-Secondary Division); Jake Cox and Isaac Grundman, Carpentry (Secondary Division); Tyson Smith, Carpentry (Post-Secondary Division); and Cole Binning and KJ Fry, Electrical Construction Wiring (Secondary Division).
