Two recently graduated Augusta County high school seniors earned top honors at the National Leadership & Skills Conference in Atlanta.
Aiden Carpenter, from Buffalo Gap High School, and Laiken Huffer, from Riverheads High School, represented the two schools and Valley Career and Technical Center at the event in June.
The competition is hosted annually by SkillsUSA and brings together thousands of students from across the country. To qualify, students must earn top honors at their respective state-level contests.
Carpenter earned first place in the state-level SkillsUSA diesel technology competition earlier this year. Carpenter placed 38th in the country at the national competition.
Huffer placed second in the state-level Skills USA cosmetology competition and finished 12th in the national competition.
Each student completed two years of courses at Valley Career and Technical Center in Fishersville in May in their respective programs. The center provides students with a wide range of opportunities through career and technical student organizations. These include SkillsUSA, which empowers students in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, and Health Occupations Students of America, which focuses on leadership and professional health care skills.
“These national recognitions are a testament to the dedication and talent of our students, as well as the support they receive from their instructors and programs at VCTC,” Julie Maxwell, the center’s coordinator, said in a statement “We are incredibly proud of Aiden and Laiken for their achievements and for representing our region with excellence.”
Source: www.dailyprogress.com