OMAHA – Northeast Community College students performed exceptionally well in a competition that showcases the best career and technical education students in Nebraska. Northeast crowned four state champions and swept the competition in one category at the SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference held recently at the Century Link Center here.

In the competition, students in skilled and technical education science contests work against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations such as electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assisting and culinary arts. The philosophy of the championships is to reward students for excellence, to involve industry in directly evaluating student performance and to keep training relevant to employers’ needs.

Northeast took the top three positions in the Internetworking competition. Clint Jurgens, Madison, was named 2016 Nebraska State SkillsUSA Champion while Jordan Zach, Norfolk, placed second, and Tony Elder, West Point, was third.

In Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), James Buresh, David City, was named the 2016 Nebraska State SkillsUSA Champion while Marcus Holmberg, Columbus, was second.

Chase Orender, Columbus, was named 2016 Nebraska State SkillsUSA Champion in the Sheet Metal competition.

In Diesel Equipment Technology, Ian Folkers, Hartington, earned 2016 Nebraska State SkillsUSA Champion honors. Two others students, Morgan Barnes, Norfolk, and Luke Kleinschmit, Crofton, also competed in the competition. Seventy students registered in the Diesel Equipment Technology competition, but there was room for only 48 contestants. Folkers, Barnes and Kleinschmit, who are freshmen, qualified by scoring high enough on the written test just prior to the competition.

Two other Northeast students competed in the Welding competition – Trent Dolezal, Morse Bluff, and Matthew Hilkemann, Pierce.

As state champions, Buresh, Folkers, Jurgens and Orender qualified for the SkillsUSA National Championships, in Louisville, KY, June 20-24.

Six Northeast instructors – Paul Bailey and John Nelson (HVAC), Doug McKibbon and Tony Milenkovich (diesel), John Knapp (welding), and Brad Vogt (information technology) – and Dr. Wade Herley, dean of Business and Technology, attended the event as advisors.

In addition, Northeast Community College’s SkillsUSA Chapter was recognized as the state chapter that grew by the largest percentage of members in one year. Barnes serves as Northeast’s SkillsUSA chapter president.

More than 2000 people, including students, teachers and business partners, took part in the two and-a-half day event.