Manatee School Academic Teams Dominate Two National Competitions

BRADENTON – July 9, 2013) Students from the Manatee County School District continued to build a dynasty of dominance in two national technical competitions held each summer across the country.

More than 170 Manatee District students took part in the National TSA Conference in Orlando where they recorded 194 top-ten finishes in an astonishing 71 competitive events, including middle and high schools. The Manatee County contingent brought home 5 first-place awards, 7 second-place awards and 11 third-place awards.

Manatee District highlights from the National TSA Conference include:

• Braden River High School earned the most event points in the nation among high schools for the second year in a row, thanks to advisors Gil Burlew, John Frank, and David Shepard. Braden River High students won trophies for Animatronics, Digital Video Production, Music Production and Prepared Presentation.
• Nolan Middle School, earned the most event points in the nation among middle schools for the second year in a row, under the leadership of advisors Justin and Theresa Devine. Nolan Middle students earned a total of 18 top-ten event rankings which included trophies in Chapter Team, Dragster Design, Leadership Strategies, Promotional Design, Video Game Design and VEX Robotics.
• Southeast High School students finished the competition among the best high schools in the nation, with a total of 11 top-ten event rankings, led by TSA advisors Richard Platt and Irene Nikitopoulus. Southeast High students won trophies in Biotechnology and Future Technology Teacher.
• Lakewood Ranch High School, guided by advisor Greg McGrew, won a trophy in Dragster Design; Manatee High School, guided by advisor Joe Orr, took a trophy in Fashion Design; Bayshore High School, guided by Advisor Martha Proulx, took home a trophy in Problem Solving.
• Johnson Middle School, with advisors Hollis Bostic and Suzanne Jarrell, finished 7^th at the conference among middle schools with trophies in Career Prep, Dragster Design, and Inventions and Innovations.
• Haile Middle, under advisors Justin Erickson and Pamela Platt, had 4 top-ten event rankings; Braden River Middle, with advisor Kyle Holbrook, took trophies in Structural Engineering and System Control; Sugg Middle, with advisors Chuck Routhier and Curtis Mesnard, placed in the top ten in Construction Challenge and Chapter Team.

For the 10th straight year, Manatee Technical Institute students won more medals than any other school in the nation at the 49thAnnual SkillsUSA Championships in Kansas City, June 24- June 28. For the 7th consecutive year, Manatee District students earned more top-ten finishes than any school district in the nation at the National Technology Student Association Conference held in Orlando, June 28 - July 2.

 

At the SkillsUSA Championships, MTI students garnered 18 gold medals, 25 silver medals and 18 bronze medals for an impressive haul of 61 total medals – a figure that outdistanced any other technical school, college or university in the competition.

 

The SkillsUSA Championships are a showcase for the best career and technical education students in the nation. Students have to place first in a state competition to qualify. Only two percent of SkillsUSA members make it to nationals. Students from every state and Puerto Rico compete in skill, technical and leadership fields, working against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupational areas like business management and technology, engineering technology/design, firefighting, nail care, and web design.

 

Visit http://www.skillsusa.org/compete/results.shtml to see a complete list of winners.