Bringing home the gold from the event — a showcase of the nation’s top career and technical education students — were Curtiss R. Gay, of Tunkhannock, who took part in the aviation contest, and Michael D. Shoemaker, of Orefield, who competed in welding. Gay graduated in May with a certificate in aviation maintenance technician, and Shoemaker is enrolled in the college’s welding & fabrication engineering technology major.

Also making the trip was Bradley W. Murphy, of Milton, an engineering design technology student who competed in the technical drafting category.

Shoemaker and Murphy advanced to nationals on the basis of their performance at the Pennsylvania Leadership and Skills Conference, held in early April at the Hershey Lodge and Conference Center. Because the state event has no aviation competition, Gay won his slot at nationals during a faculty-judged competition at the college’s Lumley Aviation Center in Montoursville.

“I’m extremely proud of how the students competed and how we finished,” said James N. Colton II, assistant professor of welding and SkillsUSA adviser, who accompanied the Penn College contingent to the conference. “It was a great week, and I’m glad the national competition was able to happen again this year after two years away because of COVID.”

For more about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.