For the third consecutive year, students from Pellissippi State Community College returned from the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference with national honors, continuing the college’s growing reputation for excellence in career and technical education.
More than a dozen students who earned gold medals at the Tennessee SkillsUSA Conference traveled to Atlanta to compete against thousands of students from across the country in leadership and technical competitions.
Of Pellissippi State’s 16 national competitors, 14 placed among the top 10 in their categories. National medalists included Hannah Smith and Hannah Allmon, who earned silver in Audio Production; Nia Traore, who received silver in Graphic Communications; and Louis Rey Valenzuela II, who won bronze in Career and Technical Educator.
“The bar keeps getting higher every year,” said Sharon Couch, Pellissippi State’s director of Student Engagement and Leadership and SkillsUSA adviser. “What began as an opportunity for students to compete has become a culture of excellence that reflects the quality of career preparation happening every day at Pellissippi State.”
SkillsUSA is a national workforce development organization that prepares students to become skilled professionals through hands-on competitions and leadership experiences that complement classroom learning.
Valenzuela, who graduated in spring 2026 with an associate degree in Electrical Engineering Technology, earned his medal in the relatively new Career and Technical Educator category by creating a comprehensive lesson portfolio as part of his Pellissippi capstone project. The portfolio included lesson plans, presentations, assessments and supporting materials.
“I wanted to do something outside my bubble,” Valenzuela said. “It was a great opportunity to stretch me as a person and required me to be more diligent.”
During the 2025-26 academic year, Valenzuela served as president of both Pellissippi State’s SkillsUSA chapter and the Tennessee state chapter. He encouraged other students to take advantage of the opportunities available through the program.
“Why not use every opportunity and every resource Pellissippi State offers?” he said. “The investment they’ve made to help me succeed is something I want for other students.”
Since first competing nationally in 2024, Pellissippi State has emerged as one of Tennessee’s strongest community college SkillsUSA chapters, consistently earning top honors at the state level and sending increasing numbers of students to national competition.
Couch said the organization’s emphasis on technical, workplace and personal skills aligns perfectly with Pellissippi State’s vision of being a career immersion college, giving students meaningful opportunities to apply what they learn while building connections with industry partners. Earlier this year, she was recognized as Tennessee’s SkillsUSA Outstanding Advisor of the Year.
Pellissippi State Community College is a public community college based in Knox and Blount counties in Tennessee and operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents. The college operates four campuses: Hardin Valley, Blount County, Strawberry Plains, and Magnolia Avenue.
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