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CTC Students Take the National Stage at SkillsUSA

CTC Students Take the National Stage at SkillsUSA
CTC Students Take the National Stage at SkillsUSA
Elizabeth Beam and Hailey Neer represented Springfield-Clark CTC and the state of Ohio at the 2025 SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC) in Atlanta, Georgia, last week.

Real-World Skills, Real-World Impact

NLSC is more than a competition—it’s a launchpad for the next generation of industry leaders. The event welcomed over 18,000 students, educators, and industry leaders from across the country. As the #1 workforce development organization for students, SkillsUSA empowers young people to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders, and responsible community members.

This year’s event featured:

  • 6,880 competitors in 114 hands-on skill and leadership events.
  • A community service project where students built bikes for local children 🚲.
  • Sessions on professional development, career-tech trends, and leadership training.
  • A keynote address from Mike Rowe, advocate for skilled trades and TV show host for Dirty Jobs and Somebody’s Gotta Do It.


“Experiences like these prepare students not just for success in competition, but for success in life,” shared Michelle Patrick, Superintendent of CTC. “Whether stepping into a career, continuing their education, enlisting in the military, or launching their own business, our students graduate ready - Career Ready. College Ready, Life Ready. Organizations like SkillsUSA give students a powerful head start - not just in terms of skills, but also confidence, leadership, and building professional networks.”


Elizabeth Beam, State Officer for Ohio

Elizabeth Beam, a rising senior in the Nurse Assisting program from Southeastern High School, was elected as one of seven state officers for Ohio this past March. She attended as an Ohio state officer and served as a National Voting Delegate. She spent the week attending leadership sessions, collaborating with student leaders from across the country, and helping elect the next national officer team.


Hailey Neer, Chapter Vice President

Meanwhile, Hailey Neer, a recent Northeastern High School graduate from the CTC’s Computer Graphic Arts program, competed in the Extemporaneous Speaking contest against the best student speakers from every state—and advanced to the national finals. We are thrilled to share that Hailey placed 7th in the nation! 🏅 Her powerful performance earned her a spot among the top extemporaneous speakers in the country. In March, at the state leadership conference, she placed 1st!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Hailey and Elizabeth for their outstanding achievements and for representing Springfield-Clark CTC with pride and excellence!

For more information about CTC's SkillsUSA chapters visit SCCTC.org/SkillsUSA.

Two high school students and two high school teachers stand for a photo at the national conference for SkillsUSA
Mr. Rice, Mrs. Ritzenthaler, Hailey, and Elizabeth are ready for the SkillsUSA Awards Ceremony! 🏅
Two high school teachers and two high school students pose in front of an outdoor sculpture of the the Olympic Rings in Atlanta, Georgia
Hailey, Elizabeth, and SkillsUSA advisors, Mr. Rice and Mrs. Ritzenthaler in front of the iconic Olympic Rings—celebrating a week of leadership, competition, and unforgettable moments!
Two high school girls stand at a conference center in dress clothes and the signature red blazer from the SkillsUSA organization.

Hailey Neer, a recent graduate from the Computer Graphic Arts, and Elizabeth Beam, a senior in Nurse Assisting, proudly represented Springfield-Clark CTC and the state of Ohio at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference in Atlanta.

Hailey competed in Extemporaneous Speaking—placing 7th in the nation! (and also placed 1st in the state of Ohio!)—while Elizabeth served as a SkillsUSA Ohio State Officer and National Delegate.

High school girl stands in dress clothes and signature red blazer of the SkillsUSA organization

Elizabeth Beam ran for state office at the SkillsUSA Ohio Leadership Conference and was elected to be one of the seven state officers! She and the other state officers will meet this fall for leadership development and office placement.

At the National Leadership & Skills Conference she represented Ohio and served as a National Voting Delegate. Elizabeth is from Southeastern High School and is a senior in the Nurse Assisting program.

High school student and teacher stand in front of a faux green wall with the Skills USA National Leadership & Skills Conference logo.
Hailey Neer, Computer Graphic Arts class of 2025, and Mr. Rice, Advisor for SkillsUSA, strike a pose in front of the SkillsUSA green wall. Congratulations Hailey, on placing 7th in the nation in Extemporaneous Speaking! 🎤🙌
High school girl stands with high school teacher in front of faux green plant wall with SkillsUSA National Leadership &Skills Conference logo
SkillsUSA advisor, Mrs. Ritzenthaler, poses with Hailey Neer, a recent graduate of Northeastern High School and CTC’s Computer Graphic Arts program. Hailey wrapped up her high school career with an impressive 7th place national finish in Extemporaneous Speaking at the 2025 SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference.
 
In addition to her competition success, Hailey also served as the SkillsUSA Ohio Central Region President, where she helped lead and oversee the region’s officer election process last fall.