Montana SkillsUSA Students earn medals at the 54th Annual Montana SkillsUSA State Leadership & Skills Conference 2025
Roberta Tilleman
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Roberta Tilleman
State Director
stated...@skillsusamontana.org
SkillsUSA Students Win Medals at
2025 State Workforce Development Event
[April, Great Falls] Career and technical education students from across Montana brought home medals from the 2025 SkillsUSA State Leadership & Skills Conference.
The 2025 state championships were held in Great Falls, MT April 3-6, 2025. The annual Montana SkillsUSA conference was a showcase of career and technical education (CTE) students in our state where 367 outstanding students competed in 56 different trade, technical and leadership events.
During the state SkillsUSA competition, the CTE students worked against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations such as welding, computer-aided drafting, diesel service, firefighting and culinary arts. All contests are run by SkillsUSA Montana with the help of technical chairs from industry, trade associations and labor organizations, testing competencies set by industry. In addition, leadership contestants demonstrated their skills, which included extemporaneous speaking, pin design and conducting meetings using parliamentary procedure. Top student winners received gold, silver and bronze medallions. Many also received prizes such as tools of their trade and scholarships to further their careers and education. The annual championships event is for middle school, high school and college-level students who are members of SkillsUSA.
SkillsUSA Montana has a statewide membership of 555 students, representing 35 chapters representing 33 counties. Members have consistently demonstrated their expertise and professionalism while participating throughout the year in a variety of leadership and competitive conferences. SkillsUSA empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible citizens. SkillsUSA improves the quality of the 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.
State first-place (gold medal) winners are eligible to compete at the national SkillsUSA Championships, which will be held in Atlanta in June. The following students at the 2025 state conference had outstanding accomplishments:
Gold, Silver & Bronze Medals:
Architectural Drafting High School
1 Fairfield High School
Gold Robyn Mathison
2 Plains High School
Silver Asher Seymour
3 Fairfield High School
Bronze Colter Dowdy
Automotive Service Technology High School
1 Flathead High School
Gold Cameron Seals
2 Havre High School
Silver Robert Ogden
3 Flathead High School
Bronze Cameron Moffit
Automotive Service Technology College
1 MSU-Northern
Gold Sterling Shelton
Cabinetmaking High School
1 Fairfield High School
Gold Ryder Carper
2 Fairfield High School
Silver Porter Hatch
3 Plains High School
Bronze Caleb W Lakko
Carpentry High School
1 Manhattan Public Schools
Gold Luke Randall
2 Butte High School
Silver Kyle Kinsey
3 Manhattan Public Schools
Bronze Calvin Stanley
Chapter Business Procedure High School
1 North Star High School
Gold Kinzie Campbell
Gold Brooke Burkhartsmeyer
Gold Emerson Kinsella
Gold Piper Miller
Gold Madelyn Myers
Gold Wrien Wolery
2 Darby High School
Silver Tanner Shavers
Silver Gustaf Harrell
Silver Morgan Jerrils
Silver Markel Matute
Silver Leif Nelson
Silver McCoy Townsend
Chapter Display High School
1 Darby High School
Gold Levi Whiting
Gold Justin Chandler
Gold Nayla Schmied
2 Savage High School
Silver Aspen Peterson
Silver Miley Pilgeram
Silver Brooke Skov
Crime Scene Investigation High School
1 Darby High School
Gold Halana May
Gold Shaina Gaustad
Gold Hailey Heiland
2 Jefferson High School
Silver Maryah Lindsay
Silver Avery Maki
Silver Hope Nelson
3 Winnett High School
Bronze Jesse Mickelson
Bronze Wiley Dutton
Bronze Wil Murnion
Criminal Justice High School
1 Darby High School
Gold Justin Chandler
2 Darby High School
Silver Tanner Shavers
3 Winnett High School
Bronze Wiley Dutton
Diesel Equipment Technology High School
1 Sentinel High School
Gold Noah Lofink
2 Great Falls High School
Silver kaiden cotton
3 Plains High School
Bronze Pepper Lulack
Extemporaneous Speaking Middle School
1 Plains
Gold Kiara Brown
2 Winnett
Silver Anna Nowlin
3 Plains
Bronze Kylar Bannout
Extemporaneous Speaking High School
1 North Star High School
Gold Madelyn Myers
2 Winnett High School
Silver Virgil Tholt
3 Butte High School
Bronze Kelly A McCloskey
Firefighting College
1 Gallatin College
Gold Nicholas McQueeney
First Aid-CPR High School
1 Plains High School
Gold Kalem K Ercanbrack
2 Jefferson High School
Silver Hope Nelson
3 Plains High School
Bronze Annika Ercanbrack
First Aid-CPR College
1 MSU Billings-COT
Gold Abigail Converse
Gastronomic Engineering High School
1 Sentinel High School
Gold Tristan Haverfield
2 Fairfield High School
Silver Isaiah Talton
3 Great Falls High School
Bronze Mable Prusek
Heavy Equipment Operation High School
1 East Helena High School
Gold Cooper Larson
2 East Helena High School
Silver Karsen Bushnell
3 Plains High School
Bronze Isaiah A Paseman
Job Interview High School
1 Sentinel High School
Gold Allyeska Vild
2 Great Falls High School
Silver Anna Dougherty
3 Charlo High School
Bronze Sean Madden
Job Interview College
1 MSU Billings-COT
Gold Abigail Converse
2 MSU-Northern
Silver Tithen FitzGerald
Job Skill Demonstration Middle School
1 Plains
Gold Halle Collett
2 Winnett
Silver Lealen Dutton
Job Skill Demonstration High School
1 Darby High School
Gold Jada Swenson
2 St. Ignatius High School
Silver Adley Larson
3 Augusta High School
Bronze Ryan Arps
Medical Math High School
1 Darby High School
Gold Leif Nelson
2 Darby High School
Silver Morgan Jerrils
3 Plains High School
Bronze Kalem K Ercanbrack
Opening and Closing Ceremonies Middle School
1 Plains
Gold Kiara Brown
Gold Mauriella Adams
Gold Bryan Lakko
Gold kameryn Malmend
Gold Aliah Owens
Gold Emeline Russell
2 Darby
Silver Aurora Cook
Silver Brooklyn Janis
Silver Bella Neville
Silver Nikki Neville
Silver Bentley Rouse
Silver Summer Smead
Opening and Closing Ceremonies High School
1 Darby High School
Gold Jaden Bailey
Gold Gavin Anderson
Gold Natalie Anderson
Gold Abram Atkins
Gold Jackson Bennett
Gold Ella Bush
Gold Finn O'Donnell
2 Great Falls High School
Silver Anna Dougherty
Silver Tracer Clement
Silver Riley Culbertson
Silver Lochlin Kinyon
Silver Eva Richmond
Silver Jacob Schneider
Outstanding Chapter High School
1 Darby High School
Gold Austin Hackel
Gold Charley McDowell
Gold Gavin Miller
Photography High School
1 Great Falls High School
Gold Harlee Barrow
2 Manhattan Public Schools
Silver Elizabeth Dundas
3 Plains High School
Bronze Asher Seymour
Photography College
1 MSU-Northern
Bronze Jordan Ketcham
Pin Design Middle School
1 Plains
Gold Kylar Bannout
2 Plains
Silver kameryn Malmend
3 Darby
Bronze Payton Gibson
Pin Design High School
1 Darby High School
Gold McCoy Townsend
2 Winnett High School
Silver Virgil Tholt
3 Darby High School
Bronze Jackson Bennett
Pin Design College
1 Gallatin College
Gold Nicholas McQueeney
Power Equipment Technology High School
1 Sentinel High School
Gold Allyeska Vild
2 Havre High School
Silver Chloe Corner
3 Broadwater High School
Bronze Teigen Volkman
Power Equipment Technology College
1 MSU-Northern
Gold Carter Marquardt
2 MSU-Northern
Silver Max Morrey
Prepared Speech Middle School
1 Plains
Gold Bryan Lakko
2 Darby
Silver Summer Smead
Prepared Speech High School
1 North Star High School
Gold Ecko Fraser
2 Charlo High School
Silver Tasker Brown
3 Butte High School
Bronze Kyle Kinsey
Promotional Bulletin Board Middle School
1 Darby
Gold Stella Smith
Gold Paityn Pelkey
Gold Macey Strayer
Promotional Bulletin Board High School
1 Darby High School
Gold Georgia Fisher
Gold Lillian Bennett
Gold Brenna Bush
2 Plains High School
Silver Caleb W Lakko
Silver Macey L Malmend
Silver Isaiah A Paseman
3 Savage High School
Bronze McKenna Haralson
Bronze Micah Haralson
Bronze Emma McPherson
Quiz Bowl High School
1 Butte High School
Gold Kyle Kinsey
Gold Sean Overlay
Gold Brayten Hyndman
Gold aksel laursen
Gold payton michalsky
2 Darby High School
Silver Gustaf Harrell
Silver Lillian Bennett
Silver Hailey Heiland
Silver Morgan Jerrils
Silver Leif Nelson
Silver Nayla Schmied
Silver McCoy Townsend
Quiz Bowl College
1 MSU-Northern
Gold Tithen FitzGerald
Gold Braxton Berg
Gold Loren Lane
Gold Max Morrey
Gold Sterling Shelton
Gold Hunter Velk
Related Technical Math High School
1 Plains High School
Gold Kalem K Ercanbrack
2 Butte High School
Silver Kelly A McCloskey
3 Plains High School
Bronze Cord Greer
Robotics-Urban Search and Rescue Middle School
1 Alberton Public School
Gold Mahlon Manson
Gold Varuna Peeblson
2 Darby
Silver Aurora Cook
Silver Bentley Rouse
3 Plains
Bronze Halle Collett
Bronze Kylar Bannout
Robotics-Urban Search and Rescue High School
1 Sentinel High School
Gold Joseph Karlovich
Gold Finn Nowels
2 Darby High School
Silver Tanner Shavers
Silver Elias Martin
3 Alberton Public School
Bronze Evan Fehlings
Bronze David Scheer
T Shirt Design Middle School
1 Plains
Gold Emeline Russell
2 Plains
Silver Halle Collett
3 Darby
Bronze Nikki Neville
T Shirt Design High School
1 Darby High School
Gold Nayla Schmied
2 Darby High School
Silver Lillian Bennett
3 Sentinel High School
Bronze Charles Maus
Team Engineering Challenge Middle School
1 Plains High School
Gold Clinton Weedeman
Gold Bryan Lakko
Gold Gary Rehbein
2 Darby High School
Silver Stella Smith
Silver Paityn Pelkey
Silver Macey Strayer
3 Winnett High School
Bronze Jasper Tholt
Bronze Lealen Dutton
Bronze Tayt Obrigewitch
Technical Computer Applications High School
1 Sentinel High School
Gold Charles Maus
2 Sentinel High School
Silver Ellyonna Vild
3 North Star High School
Bronze Piper Miller
Technical Drafting High School
1 Sentinel High School
Gold Benjamin McKnight
2 East Helena High School
Silver Dylan Burger
3 Alberton Public School
Bronze Barrett Odell
Technical Drafting College
1 MSU-Northern
Gold Tithen FitzGerald
Welding High School
1 Frenchtown High School
Gold Evan Urquhart
2 Frenchtown High School
Silver Roper Woodard
3 Manhattan Public Schools
Bronze Lukas Goodman
Welding College
1 MSU Billings-COT
Gold Peyton Langley
2 MSU Billings-COT
Silver Chance Devich
3 MSU Billings-COT
Bronze Cade Novotny
Welding Fabrication High School
1 Cut Bank High School
Gold Kaden Kipp
Gold Tristen Lozing
Gold Peyton Volkman
2 Great Falls High School
Silver Lochlin Kinyon
Silver Caleb Kronovich
Silver Jacob Schneider
3 East Helena High School
Bronze Cooper Larson
Bronze Karsen Bushnell
Bronze Eli Russell
Welding Sculpture High School
1 Frenchtown High School
Gold Gracelyn Deuter
2 Frenchtown High School
Silver Isaac Ashbrook
3 Frenchtown High School
Bronze Gabe Klette
Woods - Basic High School
1 Ennis High School
Gold Mason Nelson
2 Manhattan Public Schools
Silver Cody DeHaan
3 Sidney High School
Bronze Kaleb Kutzler
Woods - Furniture High School
1 Jefferson High School
Gold Hope Nelson
2 Plains High School
Silver Shay Nelson
3 Ennis High School
Bronze Jackson Nutt
Woods - Sculpture High School
1 Valier High School
Gold Kolter Forbes
2 Savage High School
Silver McKenna Haralson
3 Savage High School
Bronze Kyler Jonsson
Woods- Basic Middle School
1 Plains High School
Gold Gary Rehbein
2 Conrad High School
Silver Asher Pettersen
3 Plains High School
Bronze Clinton Weedeman
Woods-Sculpture Middle School
1 Plains
Gold Clinton Weedeman
2 Plains
Silver Mauriella Adams
3 Plains
Bronze Gary Rehbein
Advisor of the year:
College: Jack Bieger- MSU Northern
High School: Roger Merritt- Sidney High school
Honorary Retiring teacher award:
Tim Love- Augusta Public School
Career Essentials Certificate:
Kyle Kinsey- Butte High School
Retiring 2024-2025 State Officers:
Kelly McCloskey- Butte
Tanner Shavers- Darby
Caleb Lakko- Plains
Kyle Kinsey- Butte
For more information about this year’s events and the winners, contact:
Roberta Tilleman, State Director
stated...@skillsusamontana.org
About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is America’s proud champion of the skilled trades. It’s a student-led partnership of education and industry that’s building the skilled workforce our nation depends on with graduates who are career ready, day one. Representing over 420,000 career and technical education students and teachers, SkillsUSA chapters thrive in middle schools, high schools and college/postsecondary institutions nationwide. SkillsUSA’s mission empowers students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members. That mission is accomplished through the SkillsUSA Framework of Personal Skills, Workplace Skills and Technical Skills Grounded in Academics, which is integrated into classroom curriculum. Through Framework instruction, students develop the character-shaping leadership skills — teamwork, communication, professionalism and more — that successful careers and lives demand. At the same time, students hone their high-level technical skills against current industry standards in more than 130 skilled trade areas, from 3-D Animation to Welding. The result? Focused, confident and highly skilled graduates who are ready to work, ready to lead and ready to make a difference in our schools, workplaces and communities. A vital solution to the skills gap, where more in-demand skilled trades positions are available than qualified professionals to fill them, SkillsUSA has served over 14 million difference-making members since 1965. For more, visit www.skillsusa.org.
