SCTC students compete in TOPS challenge in Arkansas

Pictured are SCTC welding technology students, from left: Luke Hector (Bloomfield), Holden “Tate” Griffin (Bell City), Cory Ezell (Dexter), Dylan Costigan (Sikeston), Robert “Garrett” Johnston (Portageville) and Logan Parks (Bloomfield).

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SIKESTON — Sikeston Career and Technology Center students competed Feb. 7 in the Northeastern Arkansas College annual “Tomorrows Outstanding Professionals Skills” Challenge (TOPS) in Blytheville, Arkansas.

The contest was represented by 26 technology centers in two different states. In each event the top three places received prizes, medals and trophies and first place in each event was awarded a one-year, full tuition scholarship to Northeastern.

This was a timed event where students spent the last few months preparing to showcase their talents in their given technical classes taken at SCTC.

SCTC health occupations TOPS team students are pictured, front row, from left: Elizabeth Forrester (Portageville), Mandy Lowman (Dexter), Emily Hairston (Sikeston), Claudia Santos (Sikeston), Kiersten Chessor (Sikeston); and back row: Taylor Shank (Portageville), Nadia Lazcano (Sikeston), Jonathan Eggert (Bernie), John “Leighton” Tarter ( Sikeston).

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Brent Trankler, SCTC welding instructor, competed in three different events: Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Combination Welding, and Oxy Fuel Cutting (OFC). SCTC Welding Technology students took home four medals in two of the three events. In the SMAW contest, Cory Ezell took first place, and Holden “Tate” Griffin took second place. In the OFC contest, Dylan Costigan took first place and Robert “Garrett” Johnston took third place.

Kate Adams and Kathy Grubbs, SCTC Health Occupations I and II instructors, competed in the Medical Professionals Quiz Bowl. The team of Emily Hairston, Jonathan Eggert, Kiersten Chessor, and Claudia Santos finished the day in second place.

Andy Caton, SCTC Criminal Justice Instructor, competed in two different events, Felony Traffic Stop and Crime Scene Investigation (CSI). Two CSI teams consisting of three members per team were allowed to compete from each school. One team who was short a member, however, still placed second in the event. The members of the two person team was, Emily Cross and Rebecca Cantrell. The other CSI team placed first. The members of that team were Megan Ramsey, Harley Taylor and Ariel Sauceda. The felony Traffic stop competition resulted in a second place for Ashlyn Akin and third place for Ben Chittenden.

SCTC criminal justice TOPS students are pictured, front row, from left: Ariel Sauceda (Oran), Megan Ramsey (Sikeston), Harley Taylor (Sikeston), Emily Cross (Bernie), Rebecca Cantrell (Sikeston) and back row: Nick Tidwell (Sikeston), Ben Chittenden (Sikeston), Andy Caton (Instructor), Ashlyn Akin (Oran) and Daniel Lawrence (Sikeston).

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The instructors said: “All the students came out of this with a positive experience, it was challenging contest that really pushed their limits. To see the students be so successful in a contest of this magnitude is really gratifying, and it really helps to ensure us as instructors that we are teaching our students the correct things to be successful in their technical fields.”

The SCTC instructors expressed gratitude for everyone who was involved in the TOPS contest and for Northeastern Arkansas College for extending the invitation to SCTC students to compete.