Arlington Career Center TV Production student Ethan Eccker and Arlington Tech students Lauren Sproles and Tony Madigan won first place in the NOCTI 2026 National Video Competition, according to a March 9 announcement. Their entry, a 60-second video titled “Fast Track to Your Future,” was selected from submissions across the United States.
NOCTI, the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute, is a national organization that provides skill-based credentials for career and technical education students and professionals. The competition aims to highlight how hands-on, career-focused learning can help students prepare for their futures.
“This is an extremely competitive contest, so winning first place is a tremendous accomplishment,” said television and multimedia production instructor Tom O’Day. “The students invested a lot of time in research and even chose to film on their own time. Because of the snowstorm closures, they also had to finalize and submit the project independently, which makes their achievement even more impressive. I’m very proud of their initiative and dedication and they can now say that they are national champions.”
The team’s prize includes $500 for the Television Production program as well as a pizza party for the students. O’Day said, “We’re grateful for the award funding. With program budgets tighter this year, it will help support our students as they enter additional competitions.” He added that programs like Television Production rely on community and partner support to help students participate in national competitions and real-world learning experiences.
Eccker is an 11th grader at Arlington Career Center. Sproles and Madigan are both seniors at Arlington Tech’s Governor’s STEM Academy.
