Lanier Tech students take home gold, bronze medals in SkillsUSA competition

Lanier Technical College students took home gold and bronze medals over the weekend at the SkillsUSA National competition in Louisville, Ky. 

Luis Melendez-Novas and Jesse Connell won Gold in the Robotics and Automation Technology competition, winning the second SkillsUSA National Championships Gold medal in Lanier Tech history. The competition required two-person teams to demonstration operations of a five-axis servo-robot to resolve a simulated production process problem.

Jennifer Remillard, Karen Ballew, and Ric English won Bronze in the American Spirit competition. The category was new this year and required the team to document their school's SkillsUSA chapter's community service, patriotism, citizenship and promotion of career and technical education projects that demonstrate a belief in the American way of life and the purposes of SkillsUSA. 

Eight students from Lanier Technical College in total competed in four categories: American Spirit, Robotics and Automation Technology, Industrial Motor Controls, and Additive Manufacturing. John Sirbu and Connor Jordan participated in the Additive Manufacturing competition; Fausto D. Ayala competed in Industrial Motor Control.

SkillsUSA improves the quality of America’s skilled workforce through a structured program of citizenship, leadership, employability, technical and professional skills training.

Luis Melendez Novas (l) and Jesse Connell (r) show-off their gold medals at the Georgia SkillsUSA Chapter celebration immediately after the National awards ceremony.

Jesse Connell (l) and Luis Melendez Novas (r) during the Robotics and Automation Technology competition. A five-axis robot, which can simulate human movement, is to the left of the R&AT sign.

Ric English (center in red coat), Karen Ballew (center-right, arms raised, in red coat) and Jennifer Remillard, (directly right of Karen Ballew, one arm raised) celebrate their Bronze medals.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2017/6/552963/lanier-tech-students-take-home-gold-bronze-medals-in-skillsusa-competition