TEMPLE, Texas — The Temple High School Career and Technical Education (CTE) department will be well represented at the SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference after 53 students qualified to advance to the state competition. The department also produced seven district champions during the qualifying competition.
Students in Temple High School’s automotive technology, automotive paint and body, manufacturing, and construction programs competed at the SkillsUSA District 10 Leadership and Skills Conference in Hutto last weekend for the right to advance to the state contest. Competitors posting the top finishes in a variety of categories earned the right to move on to the state event.
Temple High School’s automotive technology program had 20 students qualify to advance to state. Most of those students participated in eight Job Exhibit Team projects that placed high enough to move on to state. Those projects include rebuilt and repaired turbos, axles, alternators, and more. Santiago Landeros also qualified for state after finishing second individually in the MLR Quiz Bowl.
Ten students in the THS automotive paint and body program will be competing in the state contest. Temple HS had five Job Exhibit Team projects qualify with a 1970’s Chevy truck hood, a Dodge tailgate, a 2002 Silverado hood repaired and refinished, and rebuilt and repainted turbo and alternator. The program also produced three district champions with Leandro Matthews taking first place in Collision Appraisal, Jennifer Partida finishing first in Paint Refinishing, and Juan Gallegos claiming first place in Collision Repair. Dayanna Hernandez also added a second-place finish in Collision Appraisal to earn a state qualifying spot.
The manufacturing program had six students qualify for state competition and added three district championships. Emma Fisher was district champion in 3 Axis Mill Programming, and Madisyn Karkosky won district in 2 Axis Lathe Programming. The team of Josemanuel Renteria, Zivanit Jones, and Aubrey Book won district in Team Automated Manufacturing, and Harley Holston took second place in 2 Axis Lathe Programming.
Ten students will be advancing to state from the Temple High School construction program. Bryson Bales and Adam Rodriguez were district champions in cabinetry and five Job Exhibit Team projects qualified to move on to state with a vanity, a guitar rack, a doghouse, and shelves.
Finally, seven other automotive and construction students punched their tickets to the state competition as part of three Job Exhibit Team projects that included a rebuilt starter, a rebuilt alternator, and a custom-made Wake Surfboard.
“Sending 53 students to the SkillsUSA state competition is more than a milestone; it is a powerful reflection of the talent, discipline, and technical mastery within our CTE department,” said Sara Bartlett, director of CTE for Temple ISD. “We are immensely proud of these students for their relentless dedication to their crafts. They aren’t just competing for medals; they are proving they are the future leaders of our workforce.”
The THS automotive technology students were coached and mentored by Bradley Hamrick, Joshua Koontz coaches and mentors the automotive paint and body students, Richard Jackson serves as coach and mentor for manufacturing, Stephen Bishop is the coach and mentor for construction students, and Jonathan Anastas serves as coach and mentor for both automotive and construction students. The SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference will be held April 8-11 in Corpus Christi.