Students in Action
Students Compete on the National Stage
RALEIGH, N.C. (June 26, 2024) – Six Wake Tech students are competing on the national stage this week in the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta and the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Collegiate National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Fla.
The students earned the opportunity after taking top honors in hands-on skills and leadership competitions at the state level during the spring semester. The contests help students excel and prepare them for careers by applying classroom concepts to workforce-simulated competitive environments.
Two Wake Tech students are competing alongside 6,500 others for gold, silver and bronze medals at SkillsUSA Nationals, the nation's largest showcase of skilled trades. Cheval Batts is competing in Advertising Design, and Hasten Goins is in the Architectural Drafting competition. This is the third straight year that Wake Tech students have qualified for nationals.
Batts, who is also a student ambassador, is looking forward to the competition.
"I'm ready for it," he said. "I have been practicing online and polishing my skills. The more tools I can bring, the better!"
Four Wake Tech students and a graduate who took home awards at the FBLA state competition are among the 1,000-plus competing for cash prizes at the FBLA Collegiate Nationals:
- Michael Ayodele, Foundations of Finance / Future Business Executive
- John Grasso, Accounting Case Competition
- Bradley Huntoon, Foundations of Computer Science / Foundations of Technology
- Camryn Jamison, Marketing, Sales and Communication Case Competition
- Charles Swinarski, Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition / Marketing, Sales and Communication Case Competition
FBLA, formerly Phi Beta Lambda, is the nation's largest business career and technical student organization.
