Events
Students Shine on the National Stage
RALEIGH, N.C. (June 27, 2023) – Wake Tech students shined on the national stage at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference and the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Collegiate National Leadership Conference. Combined, they brought home 10 awards, including a national champion trophy.
Both student competitions were held during the week of June 19 in Atlanta.
Chrissty Berry Aracena, a Human Services Technology AAS degree graduate, won first place in Sales Presentation. She also placed eighth in Public Speaking.
Berry Aracena said she was elated to win top honors. "FBLA has helped me to enhance my leadership skills, confidence and perseverance," she said. "By becoming a national champion, I feel my hard work, dedication and determination have paid off. I am proud of my accomplishments and for raising Wake Tech's name to the top."
Other Wake Tech FBLA award winners are as follows:
- Camryn Jamison, second place in Website Design and fourth place in Desktop Publishing
- Paco Rodriguez, second place in Impromptu Speaking
- Bradley Huntoon, third place in both Computer Concepts and Networking Concepts
Meanwhile, Oscar Avina-Rodriguez and Charles Myatt won silver medals in Architectural Drafting and Principles of Engineering competitions at SkillsUSA Nationals. Julianna Perciballi placed 10th in Automotive Refinishing Technology. They put their skills to the test alongside 6,500 others in the nation's largest showcase of skilled trades, which included competition opportunities in 79 different career pathways.
"SkillsUSA allowed me to show off all of the skills I have learned here at Wake Tech," Avina-Rodriguez said. "After my success at the state and national level, it showed how much I have grown, and it's given me a lot more confidence in my work."
"I didn't know what to expect because it's the first time Wake Tech competed in this area. So, I just wanted to do my best, and I finished second in the nation," Myatt said. "Wake Tech definitely set me up for success."
