The Ogeechee Technical College SkillsUSA team earned one gold medal and three bronze medals at the 2026 SkillsUSA Georgia State Leadership and Skills Conference held recently in Atlanta. The competition took place at the Georgia World Congress Center and the Hyatt Regency Atlanta.
OTC secured gold in Cybersecurity with the team of Andrew Mitchell and Austin Redman. The Cybersecurity team of Elizabeth Rector-Hager and Brandon Parker earned bronze. In Cosmetology, Katie Wilson brought home a bronze medal, while Jasmine Garza-Avila earned bronze in Esthetics with model Susana Figueroa-Arguello.
Students Travis Webb, Barbering, and Jamie Pearson, Medical Terminology, also competed in this year's SkillsUSA State competition.
Throughout the conference, students had opportunities to demonstrate their technical skills, complete assessments, network with peers and industry professionals, and further develop their career readiness skills. Gold medalists advance to the national SkillsUSA conference this summer.
"Watching all of our students, not just my Cybersecurity students, step into competition with confidence and professionalism is incredibly rewarding," said Terry Hand, Advisor and Cybersecurity Instructor. "They dedicate countless hours to perfecting their skills, and seeing that hard work recognized at the state level speaks volumes about their talent and determination. I couldn't be more proud of how they represented Ogeechee Tech."
Participants on this year's SkillsUSA team included:
➤ Lead Advisors — Beckie Snyder, Chuck Davis
➤ Barbering — DJ Albright (Advisor), Travis Webb
➤ Cosmetology — DJ Albright (Advisor), Katie Wilson
➤ Cybersecurity — Terry Hand (Advisor), Andrew Mitchell, Austin Redman, Elizabeth Rector-Hager, Brandon Parker
➤ Esthetics — Mia Mask (Advisor), Jasmine Garza-Avila, Susana Figueroa-Arguello (Model)
➤ Medical Terminology — Chuck Davis (Advisor), Jamie Pearson
In addition, two OTC advisors served as judges during the High School SkillsUSA competition. DJ Albright judged Cosmetology, and Mia Drew judged Esthetics.