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Savannah Technical College earns seven gold medals at 2023 SkillsUSA
Sohan Bolle
Culinary arts student Sohan Bolle won gold in the Culinary Arts competition. He will move on to the SkillsUSA National competition this summer. (Submitted photo)

Special to the Effingham Herald


ATLANTA – Savannah Technical College was recognized for excellence at the Georgia 2023 SkillsUSA Post-secondary State Conference.

Savannah Technical College serves coastal Georgia with market-driven technical education and has campus locations in Effingham, Chatham, and Liberty counties.

Savannah Tech students won medals in 14 competitions: seven gold, four silver, and three bronze.

SkillsUSA is a national career and technical student organization and competition that annually serves more than 395,000 high school and post-secondary students–and their instructors–in technical, skilled and service-occupation instructional programs. Savannah Tech also earned a Chapter of Excellence Quality Chapter designation and Chapter of Distinction – Gold Level Award.

More than 35 students participated in 20 competitions. Seven individuals/teams won gold and will compete in the national SkillsUSA leadership and skills competition in Atlanta in June:

  • The Community Service team -- Corina Stewart, Ashleigh Beth Blevins, and Lourane Hernandez-Phipps -- won gold for the third consecutive year.
  • The Occupational Health and Safety (OSHA) team -- Hunter Mathews, Gabrielle Cantanese, and Beverly Newman won gold also for the third consecutive year. 
  • The Promotional Bulletin Board team won gold for the second consecutive year with Early Childhood Care & Education teammates Joyce Carter, Janine Lowery, and Chelsea Brown.

James Kiene
Air Conditioning student James Kiene won gold for the Sheet Metal competition. He will compete nationally with SkillsUSA this summer.
The following students also won gold: Sohan Bolle (culinary arts); James Kiene (sheet metal); Erin Smith (mobile electronics); and Savannah Film Academy students Lore Carter and Dalton Kleman (TV Production).

The following students won silver medals: Heath Strickland (HVAC); Marc Livingston (automotive service); Chelsea Fleming (early childhood education); and Akala Gordon (customer service).

Three teams or individuals won bronze medals: Culinary arts student Gabriela Ramirez (baking & pastry arts); cosmetology student Mishala Bell (nail care); and Savannah Film Academy students Angela Rigor and Kenneth Butler II, (digital cinema).

Additional photos of 2023 SkillsUSA state medalists and honorees may be found on STC’s Facebook page.