GTCC students claim 8 first-place finishes in state SkillsUSA; Faircloth honored with membership award



Published on: April 21, 2025
Jeff Faircloth (right in red jacket) receives the SkillsUSA Lifetime Membership Award from a male member of the organization, also in a red jacket.
Recently retired Jeff Faircloth (right) receives the SkillsUSA Lifetime Membership Award for his almost 30 years of work with the organization.

JAMESTOWN, N.C. (April 21, 2025) – Guilford Technical Community College students won eight first-place awards in the SkillsUSA North Carolina state competitions and Jeff Faircloth, recently retired department chair for automotive, diesel, collision, turfgrass programs and longtime manager of the college’s SkillsUSA program, received the SkillsUSA Lifetime Membership Award.

GTCC students also claimed five second-place finishes while garnering 31 top five finishes across 12 areas of competition.

All GTCC first-place award winners will compete in SkillsUSA's National Leadership & Skills Conference in June.

SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization serving teachers, middle school, high school, and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. Through its local, state, and national competitions, students demonstrate occupational and leadership skills.

The state competition was the largest showcase of career and technical education in North Carolina with around 3,000 students competing in over 130 hands-on trade, technical, and leadership contests.

GTCC’s top finishers in the SkillsUSA North Carolina state competition are:

First Place

  • Logan Zellers, aviation
  • Amanda Starr, collision repair
  • Keesha Jazzlyn, computer technology
  • Diana Arreguin, criminal justice
  • Meredith Costner, culinary arts
  • Rayna Taylor, plumbing
  • Devante Cuthbertson, mechatronics
  • Jose Escalante Torres, mechatronics

Second Place

  • Mack McCall, computer technology
  • Jacob Wright, auto service technology
  • Jamie Mills-Widemon, EMS
  • Lia Nigh, EMS
  • Caleb Oates, plumbing

Third Place

  • Tristen Loria, auto service technology
  • Elijah Butler, collision repair
  • Brendon Strader, EMS
  • Ethan Waldrop, EMS
  • Camden Leonard, HVACR
  • Austin Gelinas, plumbing

Fourth Place

  • Grayson Batzin-Lopez, auto service technology
  • Austin Cooper, culinary arts
  • Destiny Morel, culinary arts
  • Wesley Wilson, plumbing
  • Alice Shultz, mechatronics

Fifth Place

  • Turner Hargrove, motorcycle repair
  • Jonathan Crays, collision repair
  • Joshua Alcide, culinary arts
  • Jonatan Arroyo-Osoiro, diesel equipment technology (CCP)
  • Logan McDaniel, EMS
  • Alexander Raper, EMS
  • Salvador Dominguez-Zepeda, HVACR 
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