SALISBURY, N.C. – Rowan-Cabarrus Community College students earned top honors at the 2026 SkillsUSA North Carolina State Conference, with several students capturing first-place finishes and advancing to national competition. The College’s SkillsUSA chapter delivered a strong overall performance at the conference, held in Greensboro from April 15 to April 17, 2026, earning recognition across multiple competition areas that reflect the depth and quality of its workforce programs.
The State Leadership and Skills Conference brought together career and technical education students for hands-on contests aligned with industry standards. The event welcomed nearly 3,000 students, showcasing the skills and talents of middle school, high school and postsecondary participants. Students demonstrated personal, workplace and technical skills across more than 140 skilled, technical and leadership development competitive events. A total of 30 Rowan-Cabarrus students competed in a range of technical and skilled trade disciplines, demonstrating their abilities among the state’s top competitors.
Individual Competitive Event Awards
1st Place:
- Commercial sUAS Drone (Drone Pilot): Crystal Rice and Damon Ellis
- Electrical Construction Wiring: Sincere Betton
- Masonry: Grayson Smith
- Sheetmetal: Celso Murillo
2nd Place
- HVACR: Daniel Lambert
- Sheetmetal: Angel Montalvo Martinez
4th Place:
- Masonry: Jared Valdespino Moran
- Plumbing: Tristen Spears
5th Place:
- Esthetics: Kayla Wallace and Arleth Jaimes
- Internetworking: Christian Legette
6th Place:
- HVACR: Eduardo Otero
7th Place:
- HVACR: Christopher Garcia
8th Place:
- HVACR: Dany Herrera
Additional Rowan-Cabarrus Community College students who competed at the state level across a range of disciplines included:
- Automotive Service Technology: Kaylan Deal
- Cybersecurity: Daniel Bowman and Suzi Burns
- Electrical Construction Wiring: Brandon Jones and Ian Hill
- Esthetics: Samantha Whitfield and Nena Ivey Jaimes
- Information Technology Services: Braeden Culp
- Internetworking: Askarbek Akhrorov and Sahil Jivani
- Nail Care: Iya Cummings-Dennis and Candice Bennett
First-place finishers advance to the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, scheduled for June 1 through June 5 in Atlanta, Georgia. Each year, this event brings together more than 19,000 attendees from across the country and culminates in the SkillsUSA Championships, where more than 6,500 state champions compete for national recognition across skill and leadership competitions.
“Our students are proving they can compete and succeed alongside the best in the state and beyond,” said Rowan-Cabarrus President Dr. Carol S. Spalding. “That speaks volumes about their preparation and their potential. We look forward to seeing them carry that momentum into the national stage and their future careers.”
These accomplishments reflect the wide range of programs represented at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and highlight the College’s commitment to providing students with hands-on learning experiences that prepare them for success in their chosen fields. Through opportunities like SkillsUSA, students are able to apply what they have learned in the classroom in competitive, real-world environments. These experiences help build confidence, strengthen technical abilities and reinforce the professional skills needed to succeed in today’s workforce.
“Our students are not only developing technical skills, but they are also learning how to perform under pressure and represent their programs at a high level,” said Vice President of Academic Programs Dr. Michael Quillen. “Experiences like this help prepare them for what comes next, whether that is entering the workforce or continuing their education.
The College’s SkillsUSA chapter continues to play an important role in connecting students with opportunities that extend beyond the classroom. By participating in SkillsUSA, students gain exposure to industry standards, build professional networks and experience the expectations of their chosen fields firsthand. Current Rowan-Cabarrus students interested in learning more about SkillsUSA are encouraged to contact Jon Crockett at jon.crockett@rccc.edu.
This year’s Rowan-Cabarrus advisors who supported the students include Christopher Belch, Adam Crow, Jon Crockett, Aimee Durham, Sandra Holshouser, Kathy Knight, Jeffery Mrugalski, Larry Newcomb, Carl Smith and Kao Vang.
SkillsUSA is a national partnership of students, teachers, and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. The organization serves middle-school, high-school, and college/postsecondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical, and skilled service occupations. For more information about SkillsUSA, please visit www.skillsusa.org.