Southwestern Community College (SWCC) career and technical education students came home from the Iowa SkillsUSA Championships in Ankeny, held April 25-26, with six first place finishers, two second place finishers, and one third place finisher.
All students finishing in the top spot earned gold medals and qualified for the national SkillsUSA competition from June 24-28 in Atlanta, Georgia.
SWCC gold, silver, and bronze award winners included the following:
- Automotive Refinishing Technology (Secondary Division)
- First Place: Seth Ripperger of Afton, East Union High School
- Automotive Refinishing Technology (Post-Secondary Division)
- First Place: Koby Namanny of Cumberland
- Automotive Service Technology (Secondary Division)
- Third Place: Owen Allen of Diagonal, Creston High School
- Collision Repair Technology (Post-Secondary Division)
- First Place: Jacob Novak of Diagonal
- Electrical Construction Wiring (Secondary Division)
- First Place: Cole Binning of Woodburn, Clarke High School
- Electrical Construction Wiring (Post-Secondary Division)
- First Place: Dylan Barrett of Hamburg
- Welding (Post-Secondary Division)
- First Place: Cooper Jipsen of Griswold
- Second Place: Dawson Marshall of Lenox
- Welding Sculpture Art (Secondary Division)
- Second Place: Hazin Clayton of Lorimor, Creston High School
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, who qualifies for the national contest, will compete against students from all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Pictured above (L to R): SWCC SkillsUSA gold medalists Seth Ripperger of Afton; Koby Namanny of Cumberland; Jacob Novak of Diagonal; Cole Binning of Woodburn; Dylan Barrett of Hamburg; and Cooper Jipsen of Griswold.