MTI students earn contest’s top spot (Herald-Tribune)

For the 10th straight year, Manatee Technical Institute students won more medals than any other school in the nation at the 49th annual SkillsUSA Championship.

MTI had 61 national champions and won 18 gold, 25 silver and 18 bronze medals at the competition, which was June 24 to 28 in Kansas City.

“MTI aims to produce graduates who are able to earn national industry-recognized credentials,” MTI Director Dr. Mary Cantrell said in a prepared statement. “When they win against students from other schools and states, it’s a good indication that MTI is doing a lot right.”

SkillsUSA Championships are a showcase for the best career and technical education students in the nation. To qualify, students had first win a state competition. Two percent of SkillsUSA members make it to nationals.

Students from every state and Puerto Rico compete in skill, technical and leadership fields. They work against the clock and each other in occupational areas like business management and technology, engineering technology and design, firefighting, nail care, and Web design.

The theme for this year’s contests was “Champions at Work Prepared with the Skills America Needs.”