Ridgewater Students Excel in SkillsUSA Contests

WILLMAR and HUTCHINSON, MN – Fourteen Ridgewater College technical students recently competed at the annual Minnesota SkillsUSA competitions in the Twin Cities and St. Cloud.

Four Welding students qualified and will head to nationals in Atlanta in June – one individual champion and one team of champions.

Ridgewater’s Jackson Owens of Spicer earned gold champion honors in individual welding, while the team of Justin Deinken (Morton), Bradee Dwinell (Waconia) and Katheryne Noll (Norwood Young America) earned gold in Welding Fabrication (see photos below).

The annual state contest event highlights the talents of Minnesota’s top Career and Technical Education (CTE) students.

More than 500 students from 27 schools competed in nearly 60 trade, technical, and leadership contests in hands-on, real-world environments thanks to partnering industry professionals.