Two students in Craven Community College’s (Craven CC) Cosmetology program won gold during the SkillsUSA North Carolina Championships competition in Greensboro from April 27-29. Mykeisa Cooper won the Skills Project Showcase for Cosmetology, while Amy Anderson Ipock won the Cosmetology Competition.
The conference was the largest showcase of Career and Technical Education in North Carolina, with more than 1,500 outstanding career and technical education students competing over 120 hands-on trade, technical, and leadership contests. These contests span more than 95 trade areas from construction, automotive, and welding to drafting, public safety, culinary, cosmetology, and more.
During the state competition, Ipock, Cooper, and other students worked against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in their chosen occupations. For the showcase, Cooper designed five individual mannequins using an “Alice in Wonderland” theme. Each mannequin included coloring, styling, and adding hair, as well as makeup and ornamentation.
Ipock’s contest included a women’s long layered haircut, a men’s haircut, and an additional cut. She had to blow dry and style, as well as design an advanced updo, all while being timed and graded. She also had an oral communication interview. Ipock and other winners in this advanced cosmetology category are eligible to compete in the National SkillsUSA Championships in Atlanta, GA, alongside more than 6,000 other competitors from across the country in more than 100 contests.
All SkillsUSA contests are run with the help of industry, trade associations, and technical experts and test competencies that are set by industry. In addition, leadership contestants demonstrated their skills, which included extemporaneous speaking and conducting meetings with parliamentary procedure. Over 100 industry partners, such as Builders Mutual, Lowe’s, 84 Lumber, ASE and many more, help support the competitive events.
Top student winners received gold, silver, and bronze medallions. Many also received prizes such as tools of their trade and/or scholarships to further their careers and education. The SkillsUSA North Carolina Championships are for middle school, high school, and college-level students who are members of SkillsUSA.
SkillsUSA (formerly known as Vocational Industrial Clubs of America or V.I.C.A.) is a national partnership of students, teachers and industry, working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce by providing students with the opportunities to gain personal skills, workplace skills, and technical skills grounded in academics. SkillsUSA chapters help students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations excel. SkillsUSA has more than 350,000 students and instructors as members at the national level.