Students earn state honors in trades

Four area students earned the nation's highest awards this week at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, Mo.

The championship contest is for high school and college-level students who are members of SkillsUSA, an organization that works to promote training in trade, technical and service occupations.

More than 5,000 students from across the country competed in 91 hands-on contests, such as robotics, criminal justice, aviation maintenance and public speaking.

All contests were run and judged by more than 1,200 industry experts.

All student winners received medallions.

Area winners are:

Michael Voiland of Naperville, a student at Naperville Central High School, earned the high school silver medal in Computer Maintenance Technology.

Teammates Lauren Flinner of Wheaton and Ben Hooson of Carol Stream, who take classes at Technology Center of DuPage in Addison, earned a Skill Point Certificate in Television for Video Production.

Brittany Gilbert of Villa Park, a student at Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, also earned a Skill Point Certificate in Food and Beverage Service.