Gadsden State Community College August 16, 2012 Technical Programs Place in National Top Twenty Students from five different technical programs taught at Gadsden State Community College finished in the top 20 in the nation during the SkillsUSA National Leadership Conference and Competition held recently in Kansas City. The SkillsUSA Championship is a showcase for the best career and technical students in the nation. "The philosophy of the Championship is to reward students for excellence, to involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and to keep training relevant to employers' needs," according to the SkillsUSA website. Students progress through local competitions to state contests, then to the national level where they compete at a multi-million dollar event occupying a space equal to 16 football fields where thousands of competitors test their skills. A team from the Automotive Manufacturing Technology Department earned a bronze medal, finishing third in the nation. Gadsden State's Team K, consisted of students Wade McDaniel and Tina Wallace of Hokes Bluff, and Allen Talley of Southside. They were led by instructors David Smith and James Wilson. This competition evaluated teams for employment in integrated manufacturing technology fields of computer-aided drafting/design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and computer numerical control machining (CNC). Two programs from the Ayers Campus, Diesel Equipment Technology and Electrical Technology (Electrical Construction Wiring) placed 4th and 18th respectively. The Machine Tool Technology program placed 13th in the CNC Turning division and the Auto Collision Repair Department took 20th place in the Automotive Refinishing Technology competition. Both of these programs are taught on the East Broad Campus. Dean of Technical Programs Tim Green remarked, "We are extremely proud of our students and their instructors. Consistently we have competed and placed in the top of this prestigious competition and realize the value of the education these students receive. These programs continue to have a positive impact on our communities and our nation." SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2012meeting-form.html for the October 21-23, 2012 HBCU Library Alliance 5th Membership Meeting and the Photographic Preservation Pre-Conference in New Orleans, LA. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.