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Augusta Technical College Students Bring Home National Awards from SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference

Lead Advisor Sherrie Rowe also named a 2026 SkillsUSA Outstanding Career and Technical Educator

For Immediate Release

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Kimberly N. Holden
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Augusta Technical College Students Bring Home National Awards from SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference

Lead Advisor Sherrie Rowe also named a 2026 SkillsUSA Outstanding Career and Technical Educator.

Augusta, GA - July 1, 2026

Augusta Technical College capped a successful 2025–26 competition season with four medals and two individual honors at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC), held June 1–5 in Atlanta. The conference drew more than 19,000 students, teachers, school administrators and business partners from across the country, and Georgia finished as the No. 6 state in the nation with 55 total medals.

Augusta Technical College students earned the following recognitions:

  • Gold Medal, Graphic Imaging Sublimation - Angela Wilson, who also received the Dr. John L. Scott Award, presented to the highest-scoring competitor in her event.
  • Silver Medal, Video Production - Brentson Judon
  • Silver Medal, Video Production - Justin “Eli” Sikes
  • Bronze Medal, Culinary Arts - Casandra Garcia

In addition to the students’ individual wins, Sherrie Rowe, Augusta Technical College’s lead SkillsUSA advisor, was selected by the SkillsUSA National Board of Directors as a 2026 Outstanding Career and Technical Educator Award honoree, recognizing her leadership in preparing students for the national stage.

“These results are a direct reflection of the talent of our students and the dedication of the faculty and staff who prepare them,” said Dr. Kendricks D. Hooker, President of Augusta Technical College. “Every medal earned at this level represents real, indemand skill, and it reinforces why technical education is so essential to building Georgia’s workforce. We are extremely proud of this team and grateful for the advisors who invest in our students year-round.”

“Watching our students compete against the best in the nation and hold their own is incredibly rewarding,” said Sherrie Rowe, Lead SkillsUSA Advisor at Augusta Technical College. “This recognition belongs to them; they put in the work, the practice and the long hours to get here. I’m honored to be recognized alongside them, and I’m already looking forward to building on this momentum for next year.”

SkillsUSA is the No. 1 workforce development organization for students, representing more than 444,000 career and technical education students and teachers nationwide across 130 in-demand occupational areas. Founded in 1965, SkillsUSA has served more than 15 million members and plays a vital role in addressing the nation’s skills gap. The NLSC is the organization’s largest annual gathering, combining the SkillsUSA Championships, leadership delegate sessions, professional development through SkillsUSA LEARN, industry engagement at SkillsUSA TECHSPO, and community service in the host city.

Augusta Technical College congratulates all of its 2026 SkillsUSA medalists and honorees and looks forward to building on this momentum heading into the 2027 competition season.

 

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Group photo of approximately 30 SkillsUSA students and advisors posing together after an awards ceremony. Many participants wear red SkillsUSA blazers and medals around their necks, while others wear professional attire. The group is arranged in three rows inside a conference room, smiling toward the camera.

About SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. We improve the quality of our nation’s future skilled workforce through the development of SkillsUSA Framework skills that include personal, workplace and technical skills grounded in academics. Our vision is to produce the most highly skilled workforce in the world, providing every member the opportunity for career success.

About Augusta Technical College

Augusta Technical College, a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, is a public postsecondary institution that provides academic and technical education, customized business and industry training, continuing education, student support, economic development, and adult education services to its service area (Burke, Columbia, Lincoln, McDuffie, and Richmond Counties) at a competitive financial value. Associate of Science Degrees, Associate of Applied Science Degrees, diplomas, and technical certificates of credit are provided through traditional and distance delivery methods. For more information, visit augustatech.edu.

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