PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Zina McGowan-Thomas, Public Information Officer, 301-475-5511, ext. 193

FORREST CENTER STUDENTS WIN MEDALS, MOVE ON

TO NATIONAL COMPETITION

LEONARDTOWN, MD – In years past, students at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center have represented St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) in grand fashion by “bringing home the gold” from championship competitions. This year, the students again went beyond the norm and outperformed themselves by demonstrating their skills and abilities with the same quality of excellence at the SkillsUSA Maryland 2009 State Championship. Seventy-nine Forrest Center students made it through the local and regional competitions to the state level, and in 18 different areas, they returned with honors. The students receiving medals were:

Gold Medalists

 Jeremy Lanham & Megan Schanck - 3-D Visualization & Animation

Melanie Dyson - Advertising Design

Joe Kwasniak & Taylor Sargent - Audio/Radio Production

Garrett Groeger, Dante Johnson, & Alex Lommel - Automated Manufacturing Technology

Matthew Spalding - Aviation Maintenance Technology

Shea – CNC Milling

Matthew Williams - Diesel Equipment Technology

Eli Pinkerton - Internetworking

Brandon Coleman - Medical Terminology

Tiffany Rose – Pin Design

Marissa Emeigh, Katie Johnson, Kristin Kauffman, Shawn Miedzinski, Cody Thompson, & William Yost - Quiz Bowl

Donna Ly - Technical Drafting

Holden Boyles & Nate Atwell - Video Product Development

Silver Medalists

Ryan Hall & Adam Sickle - Audio/Radio Production

Ben Luffey - Aviation Maintenance Technology

Tyler Williams – CNC Milling

Kristina Battenfield, Abi Crim, & Jessica Herbert - Crime Scene Investigation

Kayla Hall - Job Skills Demonstration A

Cory Higgs - Sheet Metal

Carson Steele - Welding

Lane Parks & Jack Willette - Video Product Development

Bronze Medalists

Peter Webster - Aviation Maintenance Technology

Jeff Held – CNC Milling

Courtney Santora - Job Skills Demonstration A

Brittany Cassini, Danny Longoria, Erik Miller, & Christina Veale - Television News

Twenty-three of these students have earned the right to represent SMCPS and the Forrest Center at the National SkillsUSA Championship in Kansas City in June 2009. In addition, Katie Johnson and McKenzie Rivard were elected to serve as Maryland State SkillsUSA officers, and Casi Chisholm was elected as a National Voting delegate. Therefore, the Forrest Center will be sending a delegation of 25 students to the National SkillsUSA Conference in June.

The competitor delegation from the Forrest Center is the second largest delegation representing Maryland at Nationals.  When considering the talent they faced at the state level, the Forrest Center students have risen to the challenge and are ready to represent Maryland and St. Mary’s County at the national level. For more information about SkillsUSA programs at the Forrest Center , or to offer financial assistance to send theses students to Kansas City , please contact the main office of the Dr. James A. Forrest Center at 301-475-0242.

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