Arlington Career Center Television Production students were awarded State SkillsUSA Championship medals at the 57th Annual State Leadership Conference and Skills Championships. The contests were held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center in April. The Career Center came in first place in five different competitions.

Leading the way for the Career Center were Arlington Tech seniors Lina Barclay and Ellie Nix who won the first place gold medal in the Television (Video) Production live contest. They had four hours to plan, shoot and edit a video adhering to the prompt: “SkillsUSA: Connect to My Future.” Barclay and Nix qualify for the National SkillsUSA Championships in Atlanta in late June. They will be part of the Virginia team that is competing against the rest of the country. Lina and Ellie won the second-place silver medal in the national championship last year. Gold Medal Video – Television (Video) Production

Barclay and Nix also won the first place gold medal in the Television-Pre Produced-Special Effects contest with their energetic piece on LaCroix Sparkling Water. Gold Medal Video – Special Effects- LaCroix Sparkling Water.

Arlington Tech junior Antonio Abela won the gold medal in Radio-Pre-Produced with his piece on United Airlines. Gold Medal Radio Pre Produced – United Airlines

Washington-Liberty sophomore Natalie Walker and Arlington Tech junior Esther Schneider won the first place gold medal in the Audio-Radio live contest. They had four hours to plan, record, and edit a one-minute piece on the prompt: “SkillsUSA: Connect To My Future.” Walker and Schneider will also be part of the Virginia team that is competing in Atlanta for the National SkillsUSA Championships in June. Gold Medal Audio – Radio

Finally, the team of Arlington Tech juniors Frances O’Malley, Evan Holt, and Rand McAvoy and Washington-Liberty junior Scotten Maderal earned the gold medal in Broadcast News. For the competition, each team’s assignment was to create a three minute newscast using various news stories, which were provided. Two of the team members served as anchors, one as the floor director and the other as the technical director. The team was evaluated on their broadcast writing ability, use of hand signals, directing, diction, pacing and performance techniques. This team will also compete in Atlanta for the National SkillsUSA Championships. Gold Medal Video – Broadcast News

SkillsUSA is a national organization that focuses on leadership skills for high school students. Students are given the opportunity to compete in contests against their peers at the local, state, and national levels. All contests are run by and judged by industry, using industry standards for employment. All students are members of Tom O’Day’s Television Production classes at the Arlington Career Center.  Below is the list of all the gold, silver and bronze medal winners for the Arlington Career Center.
*Signifies Arlington Tech student.

First Place Gold Medal Winners Television (Video) Production
*Lina Barclay
*Ellie Nix
(This team advances to the national championships from June 20-24)
Gold Medal Video – Television (Video) Production

Audio-Radio
Natalie Walker
*Esther Schneider
(This team advances to the national championships from June 20-24)
Gold Medal Audio – Radio

Broadcast News Production
*Frances O’Malley
*Evan Holt
*Scotten Maderal
*Rand McAvoy
(This team advances to the national championships from June 20-24)
Gold Medal Video – Broadcast News

TV Production- Pre-Produced – Special Effects
*Lina Barclay
*Ellie Nix
Gold Medal Video – Special Effects- LaCroix Sparkling Water

Radio-Pre-Produced
*Antonio Abela
Gold Medal Radio Pre Produced – United Airlines

Second Place Silver Medal Winners Television (Video) Production
*Sean Memon – 10th grade
*Bernardino Taroc – 10th grade
Silver Medal Video – Television (Video) Production  

Audio-Radio
Julia Snell – 10th grade
Sean Baldwin – 12th grade
Silver Medal Audio-Radio

TV Production- Pre-Produced – Cuts Only
*Lina Barclay
*Ellie Nix
Silver Medal Cuts Only-“R.E.A.D. Program” 

TV Production- Pre-Produced- Special Effects
*Frances O’Malley
Silver Medal Special Effects “Selective Mutism”

Third Place Bronze Medal Winners Radio Communications – Pre-Produced
*Evan Holt
Bronze Medal Radio Pre Produced – “Peter Pan”