Two Moorhead High School Career Academy students traveled to Atlanta, Ga to compete at the National SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Conference in June. Qualifying students demonstrate expertise in their field through technical projects as well as written tests.
MHS senior, Carter Norman, placed 13th in Power Equipment Technology. Participants competed in multiple 30-minute stations that included areas like valve train removal, precision measuring, hydrostatic transmissions and business operations.
Jacob Kragero, senior, placed 21st in Automotive Service Technology. Competition stations included areas like brakes, electrical, manual transmissions, emissions testing, wheel alignments, HVAC and business operations.
SkillsUSA also has a division for post-secondary students. Moorhead Graduate, Madyan Khidir, competed in Automotive Service Technology placing 4th in the post-secondary division. He is currently attending M-State for Automotive Service.
Coach Jeff Schneider was proud of the team’s accomplishment, “The competition was fierce this year, as it was the first in-person contest since 2019.” This is the fourth time in eight years Moorhead High School has sent students to a national skills contest.
SkillsUSA is a nonprofit organization that prepares middle-school, high-school and postsecondary students for careers in trade and technical occupations. The national conference showcases quality technical education while highlighting the nation’s future skilled workforce.
The SkillsUSA team is coached by MHS Career Academy teachers Schneider and Chantz Rud. Community sponsors American Crystal Sugar Company, Titan Machinery, Valley Imports and Valley Express Inc. made travel to the competition possible. This is the fourth time in eight years Moorhead High School has sent students to a national skills contest. “Without support from our community and industry/business sponsors, it would have been very difficult for us to attend this awesome event. Thank you, sponsors, we couldn't have done it without you,” said Schneider.