24 SkillsUSA Schools Named National Models of Excellence

Media Contacts for SkillsUSA:
Jane Short or Karen Kitzel, 703-777-8810
Email: jshort@skillsusa.org or kkitzel@skillsusa.org

Honored as 2024’s Most Outstanding SkillsUSA Programs

Leesburg, Va. April 18, 2024 — SkillsUSA has named 24 schools as Models of Excellence for 2024. The annual program recognizes the exceptional integration of Personal, Workplace and Technical Skills into SkillsUSA chapter activities. This is the highest honor bestowed on chapters by SkillsUSA, the #1 workforce development organization working to empower students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members.

The Models of Excellence program promotes the intentional learning of Personal, Workplace and Technical Skills as outlined in the SkillsUSA Framework for student development. Specific characteristics defined within each skill area benchmark student achievement and chapter programming. The hands-on approach of this program actualizes the SkillsUSA mission as students take the lead on all activities and practice the skills that employers seek including communication, teamwork and problem solving. Their SkillsUSA instructors guide them — but never do the work for them — elevating their learning from classroom instruction to the successful application of skills.

“Our SkillsUSA top 24 Models of Excellence schools represent the best in chapter achievement and community involvement,” said Chelle Travis, executive director of SkillsUSA. “These students are America’s future skilled workforce and future leaders in their local communities. It is a tremendous honor for these schools and their recognition validates these outstanding SkillsUSA programs.”

The 24 SkillsUSA schools selected as Models of Excellence chapters will be interviewed in June at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC). A panel of judges will evaluate each chapter based on their goals, student-led plan of action, results, final evaluation and overall integration of the SkillsUSA Framework. All chapters will be honored at NLSC and the top three schools will be named on June 28 at the SkillsUSA Awards Ceremony at State Farm Arena for Personal Skills, Workplace Skills and Technical Skills. The winners receive national recognition and the opportunity to share their stories in SkillsUSA publications and trainings. The top 24 SkillsUSA Models of Excellence for 2024 include:

Personal Skills

Cesar Chavez High School (California)
Cross Keys High School (Georgia)
Greater Lowell Technical High School (Massachusetts)
Kofa High School (Arizona)
Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES (New York)
Scott Regional Technology Center (Missouri)
Temple College (Texas)
Upper Valley Career Center (Ohio)

Workplace Skills

Alliance Academy for Innovation (Georgia)
Center of Applied Technologies North (Maryland)
Dinuba High School (California)
Douglas High School (Arizona)
Gloucester County Institute of Technology (New Jersey)
Lynn Vocational Technical Institute (Massachusetts)
Norwalk High School (California)
Robert H. Gibson Technical School (New York)

Technical Skills

Cape Cod Regional Technical High School (Massachusetts)
Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School (Massachusetts)
Morton High School (Illinois)
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Chattanooga (Tennessee)
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Pulaski (Tennessee)
Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education (Arizona)
Waverly-Shell Rock High School (Iowa)
Willow Canyon High School (Arizona)

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 nearly 380,000 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. To learn more, visit www.skillsusa.org.