UTC Students Excel at SkillsUSA State Competition
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on April 27, 2026
United Technical Center students were an enormous success at the annual 2026 SkillsUSA State Competition.
Thirty-three students were awarded medals at the awards ceremony on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
This year’s UTC winners represented Allied Health, Auto Technology, Collision Repair Technology, Computer System Repair Technology, Cosmetology, Drafting, Electrical Technician, Machine Tool Technology, Masonry, Power Sports, Robotics-Drone Technology, and Welding.
The school was awarded fourteen gold medals, fifteen silver medals, and four bronze medals.
Gold medal winners were Patrick Aucremanne, Bridgeport High School; Wilson Kaschner, Doddridge County High School; Gavin Nichols, Grafton High School; Ethan Cumberledge, Lincoln High School; Brody Rankl, Robert C Byrd High School; and Caitlyn Buck, Clarissa Helmick, Ethan Hicks, Broden Kehrer, Ben Lamp, Lexie McIntyre, Ben Squires, and Hannah Wilmoth, post-secondary adults.
Silver medal winners were Samual Pernell and Aiden Hogue, Bridgeport High School; Dylan Gutshall, Grafton High School; Victoria Starkey and Payge Freeman, Lincoln High School; Nicholas Catena and Kaylee Purkey, Robert C Byrd High School; Mackenzie Deem, South Harrison High School; Lucas Deaton, Home School, and Natalie Bartlett, Zoe Davis, Ellamy Dodd, Connor Harris, Austin Lanham, and Emmalee Marple, post-secondary adults.
Bronze medal winners were Cameron Siders and Isaiah Wilkinson, Robert C Byrd High School and Carver Deaton and Haiden Hollen, Home School.
SkillsUSA is a national Career Technical Student Organization connecting students, teachers, and industry to ensure America has a skilled workforce.
SkillsUSA helps each student excel by providing educational programs, events, and competitions that support career and technical education in the nation’s classrooms.
Pictured from left front row are Isaiah Wilkinson, Clarissa Helmick, Emmalee Marple, Kaylee Purkey, Mackenzie Deem, Payge Freeman, Natalie Bartlett, Hannah Wilmoth, Zoe Davie, Victoria Starkey, Caitlyn Buck, Nicholas Catena, and Dylan Gutshall. Back row is SkillsUSA Advisor, Steve Shaffer, Samual Pernell, Patrick Aucremanne, Aiden Hogue, Cameron Siders, Wilson Kaschner, Ethan Cumberledge, Connor Harris, Lucas Deaton, Carver Deaton, Ethan Hicks, Broden Kehrer, Austin Lanham, Haiden Hollen, Gavin Nichols, and SkillsUSA Advisor, Eric Younkins.
Not pictured are Lillyann Denman, Ellamy Dodd, Benjamin Lamp, Lexie McIntyre, Brody Rankl, and Benjamin Squire
