HICKORY — Catawba Valley Community College students earned 19 gold medals, 10 silver medals, and 8 bronze medals, plus multiple top-five finishes, at the 2026 North Carolina SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference, the college said April 23, 2026.
CVCC was also recognized as a Gold Chapter of Distinction.
Gold medalists listed include Oralia “Naomi” Hernandez-Lozano, advertising design; an entrepreneurship team of Riley Land, Saarah Majeed, Dhyan Patel, and Xavier Springs; Ariya Kanipe, hair coloring; Brayden Johns, industrial motor control (high school); Aidan Stickle, Internet of Things; Braedon Robinson, job skill demonstration (open); Isaac Patrick, marine service technology; Eddie Rhodes, marine service technology (high school); an outstanding chapter team of Isabella Donahue, Lucas Miller, and Rebecca Reyes-Mejia; Bryn Whitman, photography; Allyson Sullivan, prepared speech; a promotional bulletin board team of Elisa “Owen” Alderman, Isaac Carter, and Anika Martinez; Christopher Murphy, related technical math; Dustin Hartley, screen printing; Hunter Becker, skill project showcase; Kelsey Queen, technical computer applications; Olivia Lee, T-shirt design; and Jahdai Avalos-Joya, T-shirt design (high school).
Silver winners listed include Brianna See; a high school chapter display team of Allan Arcos-Macias, Kayden Gilliam, and Isreal Trejo-Trejo; a high school community service team of Giancarlo Ballabeni, Diana Tellez-Chavez, and Kyo Yang; a crime-scene investigation team of Victoria Alexander, Bella Thomas, and Alexis Velazquez; Elijah Anderson and Nolan Hoke in high school electrical construction wiring; Khloe James, high school extemporaneous speaking; Hunter Barrow, marine service technology; Ashley Luu, high school medical math; and Delorise Ellsworth, photography.
Bronze winners listed include a high school debate team of Kellie Herrera and Cooper Patterson; Elijah Harrington, high school electrical construction wiring; Ava Parson, high school extemporaneous speaking; Colby Weldon, job skill demonstration (open); Preston Huffman, marine service technology; Mark Schmitt, photography; Taylor Wayne, pin design; and Melissa Yang, technical computer applications.
The college also listed fourth- and fifth-place finishers. SkillsUSA contact is Tammy Muller at (828) 327-7000, ext. 4323.
“We are incredibly proud of our students and the way they represent Catawba Valley Community College on the state stage,” President Dr. Garrett D. Hinshaw said.
Muller said every medal traces to advisors: “Their influence reaches far beyond the competition floor—transforming classrooms, strengthening programs, and changing lives.”
The April 23 notice does not list a conference city or which gold medalists advanced to nationals.
Official release from Catawba Valley Community College, April 23, 2026. https://cvcc.edu/cvcc-nc-skillsusa-2026/
