GAERF/APTech recognise top graphic communications career and technical education students

The Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation (GAERF), managed by the Association for PRINT Technologies (APTech), recently recognized talented Graphic Communications contestants from across the country who participated in the SkillsUSA 55th Annual National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC) Championships, held from aJune 24-28, 2019 in Louisville, Ky. During the week-long event, the largest skills competition in the world, more than 6,500 (an increase of more than 200 participants from 2018) outstanding career and technical education high school and college-level students, all state contest winners, competed hands-on in 102 different trade, technical and leadership fields.

All contests are run with the help of industry, trade associations, and labor organizations, and the test competencies are set by industry. Graphic Communications contestants worked against the clock, and each other, in several competency areas including: Digital Press, Digital Workflow, Finishing, Offset Press Simulator Operations, Oral Professional Assessment, and Production Planning.

Top student winners received gold, silver and bronze medallions along with prizes, specific to their trade, awarded by competition sponsors. Additionally, GAERF/APTech provided a $250 scholarship to each of the 24 Graphic Communications contestants.

Medalists for the 2019 Graphic Communications Competition (High School level) include: Gold (Jordan Martin, S & W Washtenaw Consortium, Saline, MI), Silver (Nicholas Forsyth, Franklin County CTC, Chambersburg, PA) and Bronze Donald Duca, Norwich Technical High School, Norwich, CT). Medalists for the 2019 Graphic Communications Competition (College level) include Gold (Jade Milloy-Cobb, Illinois Central College, East Peoria, IL), Silver (Hunter Steed, Augusta Technical College, Augusta, GA) and Bronze (Gage Shupard, Thaddeus Stevens College of Tech, Lancaster, PA).