SEATech Students Excel at 2026 SkillsUSA State Competition
Criminal Justice
Students from the SEATech Criminal Justice Program recently competed in the SkillsUSA State Technical and Leadership Championships, April 16th through the 18th. The contests took place in Lakewood, Washington, at Clover Park Technical College, where students were invited to showcase their career skills in hopes of earning a spot at the National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, in June of this year.
Criminal Justice students competed in Crime Scene Investigation as well as Extemporaneous Speech. The following students won Medals in their respective contests. For CSI, the Gold Medal team, Kaya Mings, Emily Eggers, and Liliana Contreras will advance to the National Championships. The CSI team of Karli Tobin, Leslie Ramirez, and Lana Messenger took home Silver with a solid performance. Tobin later said she hoped to return to Nationals this year so her team could try to better their 4th place in the nation from the prior year. The team of Carlos Torres-Soto, Riley Huie, and Jacob Knudson clinched the Bronze medal, rounding up the top state honors.
In addition, Lana Messenger was elected to a State Officer position that she started this May at SkillsUSA Officer Leadership Training in Seabeck, Washington, and continues training and duties at the National Championships.
Construction Technology
From April 16–18, 2026, SEATech Construction Technology students competed in Lakewood, Washington, at the SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference. Facing top students from across the state, they demonstrated skill, professionalism, and teamwork at a high level. SEATech brought two TeamWorks teams and one Carpentry competitor. Raymond Yutzy competed against 45 carpenters in a demanding test of accuracy and craftsmanship. In the TeamWorks competition, eight teams of four competed in a hands-on build that required coordination across multiple trades. Team 1: Kole Herrera, Kade Herrera, Isaac Lyon, and Charles Bess, and Team 2: Rollin Carpenter, Beau Hazelbaker, Seth Anderson, and Jais Smith worked side-by-side in a close competition from start to finish. Under clear skies, students built their projects outdoors, staying focused and competitive throughout the event. At the end of the competition, Team 1 earned 1st place and the gold, securing a spot at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta this May.
SEATech also celebrates a major leadership honor. Isaac Lyon was selected to represent Eastern Washington as a SkillsUSA State Officer. He will attend nationals both as a member of the state championship TeamWorks team and as a state officer, representing students across the region. These results reflect the time, effort, and commitment students bring to the program every day. Their performance shows what happens when students are challenged with real work, high expectations, and opportunities to lead. We are proud of all our students for representing SEATech with skill, integrity, and professionalism.
Advanced Manufacturing & Welding
The Advanced Manufacturing and Welding Technology program at the SEATech Skills Center was represented by two teams in the Welding Fabrication contest at the SkillsUSA State conference held April 16-18. The team of Oliver Ma, Kaden Magnaghi, and Rieken Watts placed 2nd. The students had 5 hours to cut and weld a project to industry specifications. This is the first year that the program has competed in this event at state.
On March 28, students from the Advanced Manufacturing and Welding Technology program at the SEATech Skills Center competed in the SkillsUSA State Manufacturing Assemblier contest held at the Boeing Everett factory. The five students finished: 5th Marisela Ramirez, 8th Myles Anderson-Pira, 10th Dewey Nerdin, 15th Traicen Garcia, and 22nd Keegan Fuchs, out of over 60 competitors from across the state. Students have to build a hands-on aerospace-based project to Boeing standards, complete a written test, and complete a job interview.
Careers in Media & Entertainment
The Washington SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference, held in April, brought together top students from across the state to compete in a highly professional and competitive environment. Students completed technical challenges and written assessments that tested their knowledge of media production, storytelling, and industry practices.
At the state competition, Jude Neal and Kourtenay Driver placed first in Audio Production. Yaritza Gama and Abigail Blackham placed first in Video Production. All four students represented the Careers in Media & Entertainment program with excellence.
Additionally, Earl Gooding and Jaquan Frasier-Sims advanced to the state level in Digital Cinema Production, representing SEATech with professionalism and putting forth a strong effort throughout the competition.
Jude, Kourtenay, Yaritza, and Abigail will advance to the national competition in Atlanta, Georgia, this June. SkillsUSA continues to be an incredible opportunity for students to apply their learning in a real-world setting, build confidence, and push the program toward continued growth and excellence.
You can watch the 2026 SkillsUSA Washington Awards Session here
