Students from Arlington Tech and the Arlington Career Center were awarded medals at the SkillsUSA Virginia Championship, held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center from March 9 to 11. The announcement was made on Apr. 17. The students took top honors in seven of eight media competitions they entered, including six first-place finishes.
The event is significant for local education as it highlights the success of Arlington’s career and technical programs in statewide competition. These achievements provide opportunities for students to compete nationally and gain recognition for their skills.
Leading the group were Ula Olson, Rue Dove, Rebekah Knapp, and Jackie Lutz, who won gold in Video News Production Live. They qualified for the National SkillsUSA Championships in Atlanta from June 1-5. Lauren Sproles and Ethan Eccker also earned gold in Video Production Live; this marks Sproles’ third consecutive win in this category—a state record—and qualifies them for nationals as well.
Other first-place winners included Olson, Tony Madigan, and Brandon King for Television-Pre-Produced-Cuts Only with their Gatorade advertisement ‘Pass the Fuel.’ Eccker and Sproles also won gold in Pre Produced-Special Effects with a promotional video titled ‘CTE: Fast Track to Your Future.’ In Radio Communications Pre-Produced, King took first place with a commercial for Gillette training razors. Maren Akst and Alexandra Galifianakis-Mooney secured gold in Digital Cinema Highlight Reel.
Additional students competed professionally under instructors Kyle Godfrey (Carpentry/Cabinetmaking) and John Woodhead (Advertising Design). “SkillsUSA has given me incredible opportunities to show off what I do best and highlight my skill set,” said four-time gold medalist Lauren Sproles. Teammate Ethan Eccker said, “It’s what I look forward to most at the beginning of each school year.” Ula Olson added, “I’ve been working toward this moment since I joined TV Production, and it means so much to have the chance to compete at nationals.”
With limited funding available for travel this year, organizers are seeking community support so that these teams can represent Virginia at nationals. Tom O’Day stated that earlier support from the Arlington Tech Advisory Committee helped cover initial fees so every TV student could compete locally: “Their support allowed every TV student to compete at the local level, and I truly appreciate their commitment to our community.”
The continued success of these students demonstrates dedication within Arlington’s technical education programs while highlighting both individual talent and teamwork on a national stage.
