Nellie Coffman students bring home national SkillsUSA honors

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) — Fourteen students from Nellie N. Coffman Middle School are returning home with national medals after competing at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

The students represented California after qualifying through the state competition and competed in a variety of events, including Opening and Closing Ceremonies, T-Shirt Design, Promotional Bulletin Board, Additive Manufacturing, and Job Skills Demonstration.

Their hard work paid off, with the students earning national medals and the school's Opening and Closing Ceremonies team being named national champions.

SkillsUSA advisors Connie Mitchell and Jorge Tucker said the students spent months preparing for the competition, starting last fall. Through the process, they built technical skills while gaining confidence, teamwork, and leadership experience.

Students said competing against teams from across the country was both exciting and challenging. For many, it was their first time traveling such a long distance and meeting students from other states, giving them the chance to learn new skills and make lasting friendships.

Parents said they were proud to watch their children step outside their comfort zones and succeed on a national stage, calling the experience a memory their families will cherish for years to come.

Advisors say SkillsUSA is about more than competition. The program helps students develop workplace, communication, and leadership skills that will benefit them well into the future.

The students returned to the Coachella Valley with national medals, valuable life lessons, and the honor of representing both their school and the state of California on one of the nation's biggest student leadership stages.