Atlanta, Ga. June 28, 2023 - The following local career and technical students were recognized for excellence at the 2023 SkillsUSA Championships, held in Atlanta, on June 21-22. More than 6,000 students competed at the national showcase of career and technical education. The SkillsUSA Championships is the largest skill competition in the world and covers 1.79 million square feet, equivalent to 31 football fields or 41 acres.

Skill Point Certificates were awarded to all national contestants who met a threshold contest score. The Skill Point Certificate represents workplace readiness in the occupational specialty and students can add the certificate to their employment portfolio as an indicator of proficiency.

Students were invited to the event to demonstrate their technical skills, workplace skills and personal skills in 110 hands-on competitions including robotics, automotive technology, drafting, criminal justice, aviation maintenance and public speaking. Industry leaders from 650 businesses, corporations, trade associations and unions planned and evaluated the contestants against their standards for entry-level workers. Industry support of the SkillsUSA Championships is valued at over $36 million in donated time, equipment, cash and material. More than 1,200 industry judges and technical committee members participated this year. All SkillsUSA Championships competitors were honored on Friday night, June 23 at the SkillsUSA Awards Session at State Farm Arena.

The following students are Skill Point Certificate recipients from Katy:

* From Texas: Carlton Williams, from Katy and a student at Houston Community College - Northeast (Houston), was awarded a Skill Point Certificate in Automotive Refinishing Technology.

* From Texas: Team M (consisting of Amanda Hernandez, Nairi Reyna), from Miller Career and Technology Center (Katy), was awarded a Skill Point Certificate in Emergency Medical Technician.

"More than 6,000 students from every state in the nation participated in the 2023 SkillsUSA Championships," said SkillsUSA Executive Director Chelle Travis. "This showcase of career and technical education demonstrates SkillsUSA at its finest. Our students, instructors and industry partners work together to ensure that every student excels. This program expands learning and career opportunities for our members."

The SkillsUSA Championships event is held annually for students in middle school, high school or college/postsecondary programs as part of the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference. The national, nonprofit partnership of students, instructors and industry is a verified talent pipeline for America's skilled workforce that is working to help solve the skills gap.

About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is America's proud champion of the skilled trades. It's a student-led partnership of education and industry that's building the skilled workforce our nation depends on with graduates who are career ready, day one. Representing nearly 380,000 career and technical education students and teachers, SkillsUSA chapters thrive in middle schools, high schools and college/postsecondary institutions nationwide.

Katy High School Alumni Association awards scholarships at annual gala

Katy High School Alumni Association president Adrienne Davitz announced the recipients of the association’s annual scholarships at the Katy High School awards banquet in May.  At the association’s  June 10th gala at Beckendorf Farms, the group celebrated the $1000.00 awards to each of the following area students:  Sydney Lyons, Jaime Hahn, Haleigh Elyse Triolo, Donald Nagle, and Kaylea Marhofer.  Davitz’s goal is to increase the number of scholarships to 8 or more for the 2024 seniors, she said.

Miller Career Center teacher a finalist for Harbor Freight honor

MCTC's Dallas Bergstrom has been selected as a finalist for the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence, according to the KISD Facebook page.  Berstrom is one of 50 finalists nationwide for this award, which honors excellent teaching in skilled trades education in U.S. public high schools.  Katy ISD's Miller Career and Technology Center provides opportunities for students to participate in specialized career and technology programs during the school day.

Local students make Honor Roll at Oregon State University

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Names of students who have made the Scholastic Honor Roll for Spring 2023 have been announced by Oregon State University.

    A total of 11,660 students earned a B-plus (3.5) or better to make the listing. To be on the Honor Roll, students must carry at least 6 graded hours of course work.

    Students from Katy on the Honor Roll included:  Audrey A. Ashabranner, Sophomore, Oceanography; Tessa N. Badger, Senior, Fisheries & Wildlife Sciences; Eric Eaton, Post Baccalaureate, Computer Science; Hayley A. Lewis, Senior, Marketing