Ridgewater Students Excel in SkillsUSA Contests
May 1, 2024
Auto Student Heading to Nationals
HUTCHINSON and WILLMAR, MN – Ridgewater College students from four technical programs recently competed at the annual Minnesota SkillsUSA competitions and came home with five champions and five runners-up.
Karina Rice of Willmar, a second-year Automotive Technology student, won first place in the Automotive Technology contest hosted at St. Cloud Technical College. The challenge included 13 students competing at 13 automotive repair stations. Rice will advance to compete in the national SkillsUSA contest in Atlanta, Georgia, in June. Classmate Samuel Timmer (Prinsburg) brought home silver as a first-year Post-Secondary Options Enrollment (PSEO) student.
“Karina is graduating this semester and has worked very hard to take advantage of all the opportunities to learn about the automotive systems covered at Ridgewater,” said Jonathan Friton, Ridgewater Automotive Technology instructor.
“This job as an automotive technician is definitely my calling!” Rice said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of my amazing instructors.”
Among the 17 Ridgewater Welding students who competed, the High School Fabrication team earned first-place gold honors at the Minneapolis Pipefitters’ Training Facility. Champions include Gibson Kirkvliet (Lester Prairie), Jake Hiles (Winthrop) and Cole Lindberg (Kimball). Earning second-place runner-up team honors in the College Fabrication division were Dominic Garcia (Hutchinson), Gage Dyre (Hutchinson) and Kellan Stevens Aldrich (Buffalo).
Additional Placings by Program
Auto Body Collision Repair:
Refinishing: 2, Cody Nadgwick (Kensington); 3, Cody Sievert (Gibbon)
Collision: 3, Justin Jaeger (Hutchinson)
Welding:
College Individual Welders: 4, Cody Simon (Norwood); 7, Lexi Karnes (Buffalo); and 13, Joe Roepke (Arlington)
High School (PSEO) Individual Welders: 4, Kaden Otto (Lester Prairie); 6, Brody Nathe (Annandale); and 7, Aloysha Frick (Brownton)
Agriculture Equipment Mechanic:
Diesel Equipment: 35, Nic Walstrom (Belgrade); 45, Connor Danielson (Atwater)
