Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) students demonstrated outstanding skill and knowledge at the SkillsUSA Louisiana Postsecondary Championships, bringing home a total of 18 medals. Seven students have earned gold medals, earning them the opportunity to advance to the national competition June 23-27 in Atlanta, GA.
Gold medalists include Taryn Lambert – Prepared Speech; Justin Jetton – Extemporaneous Speech; BriAnna Kirkland and Ava Turner – 3D Visualization; Kaitlyn Barnett – Pin Design; and Kaitlin Dugdale and Ja’Net Douglas – Digital Cinema.
Earning silver medals were Brooke Ballard and Kaitlynn Wiley – 3D Visualization; Ben Tellifero – Photography; Darrielle Stephens – Culinary Arts; and Matthew Register – Electrical Construction. Bronze medalists include Jessica Guel-Frank, Advertising Design; Cameron Meshell and Noah Schleben, Video Production; Christian Weddleton, Andrew Edwards, and Devin Colunga – Welding Fabrication.
In addition to student achievements, BPCC’s Jim Boyter was named Louisiana State SkillsUSA Advisor of the Year, recognizing his dedication to mentoring and guiding students toward excellence in their respective trades.
“Receiving this honor is incredibly humbling,” said Boyter. “Seeing our students grow, develop their skills, and achieve success on both state and national levels is the greatest reward. SkillsUSA provides life-changing opportunities, and I’m grateful to be part of a program that empowers the next generation of skilled professionals.”
The 2025 SkillsUSA Louisiana Postsecondary Championships were held in New Orleans March 26-28. During the state competition, career and technical education students worked against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations such as electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assisting and culinary arts.
All contests are run by SkillsUSA with the help of industry, trade associations and labor organizations, testing competencies set by industry. In addition, leadership contestants demonstrated their skills, which included extemporaneous speaking and conducting meetings using parliamentary procedure. Top student winners received gold, silver and bronze medallions. Many also received prizes such as tools of their trade and scholarships to further their careers and education.
BPCC’s SkillsUSA program continues to cultivate a tradition of excellence, equipping students with the skills necessary for workforce success. The college community celebrates the achievements of all participants and looks forward to cheering on the national qualifiers as they compete on the national stage in June.