• Automotive Refinishing Technology: Jeff Albertson, Meadville, Secondary Div., 9th Place; Zach Horseman, Hamilton, Post Secondary Div, 10th Place; Chad Utt, Cameron, Post Secondary Div, 4th Place
• Cabinet Making: Adam Buckner, Grundy Co Secondary Div 3rd Place, received Bronze Medal; Brett Dawkins , Ludlow Post Secondary Dive 3rd Place, received Bronze Medal
• Carpentry Technology: Ty Francis, Galt Secondary Div 9th Place;

• Collision Repair Technical Information: Jeff Albertson, Meadville Secondary Div 7th Place; Shawn O’Brien, Ludlow Secondary Div 9th Place; Jonathan Garlick, Gallatin Post Secondary Div 3rd Place, received Bronze Medal; Zack Horseman, Hamilton Post Secondary Div 8th Place
• Collision Repair Technology: Kyle Mason, Secondary Div 3rd Place, received Bronze Medal; Brady Sensenich, Chillicothe Secondary Div 8th Place; Craig Cupp, Brookfield Post Secondary Div 2nd Place, received Silver Medal; Jonathan Garlick, Gallatin Post Secondary Div 4th Place
• Computer Maintenance Technology: Josh Hackworth, Chillicothe Post Secondary Div 5th Place; Chris Shirk, Kidder Post Secondary Div 1st Place, received Gold Medal, advances to national level competition.
• Computer Repair Technical Information: Chris Shirk, Kidder Post Secondary Div 3rd Place, received a Bronze Medal

• First Aid / CPR: Katie Baldwin, Hamilton Secondary Div 4th Place
• Health Occupations Professional Portfolio: Chelsea Sturguess, Chillicothe Secondary Div 1st Place, received Gold Medal, advances to . national level competition
• Industrial Motor Control: Derek Peek, Princeton Post Secondary Div 6th Place; Brian White, Humphreys Post Secondary Div 1st Place, received Gold Medal, advances to national level competition
• Industrial Motor Control Technical Information: Derek Peek, Princeton Post Secondary Div 6th Place; Brian White, Humphreys Post Secondary Div 3rd Place, received Bronze Medal
• Plumbing: Waylan Wright, Bosworth Secondary Div 7th Place
• Related Technical Math: Matt Grime, Chillicothe Post Secondary Div 5th Place

• SkillsUSA Quiz Bowl: Team of James Davis, Matt Grime, Josh Hackworth, Chris Shirk, and Cody Wade, Post Secondary Div 2nd Place, each received a Silver Medal and a school trophy
• Technical Spelling: James Davis, Chillicothe Post Secondary Div 5th Place; Josh Hackworth, Chillicothe Post Secondary Div 6th Place
• Telecommunications Cabling: Cody Wade, Chillicothe Post Secondary Div 2nd Place, received Silver Medal
• Welding Technology: Chris Henderson, Unionville Post Secondary Div 2nd Place, received Silver Medal
• Welding Fabrications: Chase Bonderer, Chillicothe Secondary Div 7th Place; Coty Fordyce, Hamilton Secondary Div 7th Place; Garrell Gardner, Mendon Secondary Div 7th Place
• Welding Technical Information: Chris Henderson, Unionville Post Secondary 4th Place

The contests are held in conjunction with the Missouri SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference, attended by more than 2,000 students, teachers, and representatives of business, industry, education, and government. During their stay, students participate as voting delegates for their chapters, elect state officers, conduct the business of the organization, meet with business and industry representatives, and hear from officials! The competition was held on the campus of Linn State Technical College in Linn, Missouri from April 2-4, 2009.

SkillsUSA is a national organization serving trade, industrial, technical, technical, and health occupations students in public high schools, career and technical centers, and two year colleges. SkillsUSA had more than 250,000 student and professional members annually, organized into more than 13,000 chapters in 50 states and 3 territorial associations (including Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Island).

SkillsUSA is an applied method form preparing America’s high performance workers in vocational-technical programs. It provides quality educational experiences for its members in leadership, teamwork, citizenship, and character development. It builds self-confidence, work attitudes, and communication skills. It emphasizes total quality at work: high ethical standards, superior work skills, life-long education, and pride in the dignity of work. SkillsUSA also promotes understanding of the free enterprise system and involvement in community service activities. More than 1,000 trade associations and labor unions actively support SkillsUSA through financial aid, in-kind contributions, and involvement of their people in the organizations various activities.

Those students who earned 1st place in their individual skill contest will advance to the SkillsUSA national level competitions held in Kansas City June 21-June 26, 2009 at the 45th annual National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC), a showcase of career and technical education students. Grand River Technical School will be sending three competitors on to compete against the best in the US. Those attending include Chelsea Sturguess of Chillicothe, Chris Shirk of Kidder, and Brian White.

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2009 Northwest District SkillsUSA Championships

With their skills very much in evidence, the GRTS chapters of SkillsUSA represented themselves and their school in true fashion. Many GRTS students were successful in bring home a medal for their efforts with some classes making their contest areas a clean sweep of medals.

On Feb. 16th, 2009, students attending the NorthWest District SkillsUSA Championships hailed from 7 separate technical training schools and centers across northwest Missouri. The technical centers who were represented are the Grand River Technical School in Chillicothe, Carrollton Area Career Center in Carrollton, Northwest Technical School in Maryville, Hillyard Technical Center in St. Joseph, Northland Career Center in Platte City, North Central Career Center in Bethany, and the 2008-09 host site which was Excelsior Springs Career Center in Excelsior Springs.

Students, both secondary and post-secondary levels, signed up and competed head to head with other students in the same training area to see who had the skills to advance to the state level competitions at Linn Technical College in Linn, Missouri on April 2, 3 and 4th.

Secondary division students receiving medals and awards were:

• Bill Tinsley, 5th place, Collision Repair Tech Info and 3rd place, Collision Repair Technology;
• Bobby Inman, 3rd place, Opening and Closing Ceremonies;
• Brady Sensenich, 2nd place, Collision Repair Technology;
• Casey Childress, 5th place, Welding Technology and 5th Place Welding Technical Information;
• Chelsea Sturgeuss, 1st place, Health Occupation Professional Portfolio;
• Chris Brockert, 4th place, Collision Repair Technology;
• Chris DeFaux, 1st place, Computer Maintenance Technology;
• Coty Fordyce, 2nd place, Welding Technical Information and 3rd place Opening Closing Ceremonies;
• Drew Dawkins, 1st place, Automotive Refinishing Technology and 4th place, Collision Repair Technical Information;
• Garrell Gardner, 2nd place, Welding Technical Information;
• Jacob Squires, 4th place, Automotive Refinishing Technology;
• Jamie Graves, 2nd place, Computer Repair Technical Information and 3rd place, Opening and Closing Ceremonies;
• Jeff Albertson, 2nd place, Automotive Refinishing Technology and 1st place, Collision Repair Technical Information;
• Jessica Boggess, 3rd place, Nurse Assisting;
• Katie Baldwin, First Aid/CRP and 3rd place Opening and Closing Ceremony;
• Kodi Byers, 5th place Quiz Bowl;
• Krista Murphy 3rd place Opening and Closing Ceremony and 5th place Basic Health Care Skills;
• Kyle Mason 3rd place Collision Repair Technical Information and 1st place Collision Repair Technology;
• Lacy Kromeich, 3rd place Basic Health Care Skills and 3rd place Job Interview;
• Lauren Crawford 3rd place Computer Repair Technical Information and 5th place Quiz Bowl;
• Mason Munson 5th place Quiz Bowl;
• Schuyler Cavender Computer Maintenance Technology and 3rd place Opening and Closing Ceremony;
• Shawn O’Brien 3rd place Automotive Refinishing Technology and 2nd place Collision Repair Technical Information;
• Taylor Lyon 3rd place Opening and Closing Ceremony;
• Ty Francis 2nd place Carpentry Technology;
• Tyler Cunningham 5th place Computer Maintenance Technology;
• and Waylan Wright 1st place Plumbing Technology.

Post-secondary or adult students who received medals and awards were:

• Brandon Zullig, 1st place, Job Interview and 4th place, Technical Spelling;
• Chad Utt, 2nd place, Automotive Refinishing Technology and 4th place Collision Repair Technical Information;
• Chris Henderson, 1st place Welding Technology and 1st place Welding Technical Information;
• Chris Shirk, 1st place, Computer Maintenance Technology, 1st place Computer Repair Technical Information and 1st place, Quiz Bowl;
• Cody Wade, 1st place, Telecommunications Cabling;
• Craig Cupp, 1st place Collision Repair Technology and 2nd place, Collision Repair Technical Information;
• Dean Burkhart, 3rd place, Automotive Refinishing Technology and 3rd place, Collision Repair Technical Information;
• James Davis, 3rd place, Computer Maintenance Technology, 1st place, Quiz Bowl, and 1st place, Technical Spelling;
• Jonathan Garlick,2nd place Collision Repair Technology and 2nd place Collision Repair Technical Information;
• Josh Hackworth,1st place Quiz Bowl, 2nd place Computer Maintenance Technology, and 2nd place Technical Spelling;
• Laurence Dickson 2nd place Computer Networking Technical Information and 2nd place Telecommunications Cabling;
• Matt Grime 1st place Quiz Bowl;
• Mike Judy 4th place Computer Maintenance Technology and 2nd place Job Interview;
• Shane Hakes 5th place Collision Repair Technical Information and 3rd place Collision Repair Technology;
• Stewart Hayes 1st place Automotive Service Technical Information and 3rd place Automotive Service Technology;
• and Zack Horseman 1st place in both Automotive Refinishing Technology and Collision Repair Technical Information.

All contestants who place in the top 3 places in any leadership contest will advance to the state level competitions in April, and all contestants who place in the top 2 places in any skills contest also advance to the next level. Contestants who earn a gold medal at the state level contest will head to Kansas City, Missouri in June to compete against the best in the nation.

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