Local SkillsUSA Students Participate in National Signing Day to celebrate CTE Career Commitments
Event recognizes students pursuing a career in the skilled trades.
-RIVEROAK Photos: Submitted
Submitted - Live Oak, Florida – Students and teachers at RIVEROAK Technical College teamed up with SkillsUSA and its industry partners to celebrate SkillsUSA National Signing Day on May 6, 2025. Eighteen students at RIVEROAK Technical College were part of the program recognizing local career and technical education students for their dedication to pursuing a career in any of the 130 occupational areas that SkillsUSA serves. This year, more than 1,500 students from 300 SkillsUSA schools are expected to participate nationwide.
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has skilled workforce. This nonprofit education association empowers its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens, producing the career-ready graduates who can help close America’s skills gap.
On SkillsUSA National Signing Day, these dedicated students were recognized by their school administrators, teachers, elected officials, SkillsUSA advisors, family and friends for making a decision to pursue a career in the skilled trades, a high demand sector that continues to face an immense labor shortage.
SkillsUSA Signing Day Participants
- Te’Darius Derico – SHS (Automotive Collision Technology Technician)
- Dylan Lawson – Holy Cross (Automotive Collision Technology Technician)
- Uzias Calixto – SHS (Electricity)
- Randy Macario-Garcia – SHS (Electricity)
- Victor Sanches - SHS (Electricity)
- Edi Santiso-Bravo – SHS (Electricity)
- David Castaneda – SHS (Master Automotive Service Technology 1)
- Katherine Lansford – SHS (Master Automotive Service Technology 1)
- Mersadie Gaskins - SHS (Cosmetology)
- Myka Scott – SHS (Cosmetology)
- Lynn Lee Stratton - SHS (Cosmetology)
- Danica Williams – SHS (Cosmetology)
- America Garcia – SHS (Practical Nursing)
- Charles Parker – SHS (Professional Culinary Arts & Hospitality)
- Arwin Yeamans-Lindrose – HCHS (Professional Culinary Arts & Hospitality)
- Jonathan Boatwright – HCHS (Welding Technology)
- Jaylen Duran – HCHS (Welding Technology)
- Hunter Riggs – SHS (Welding Technology)
In a style similar to “National Signing Day” events for high school student athletes, the students were applauded as they announced their career plans and sign “letters of intent” for advanced technical training. This recognition for career and technical education students will illuminate the many training programs and career paths for students.
“We would like to thank our community for supporting SkillsUSA National Signing Day,” said Mary Keen, RIVEROAK Technical College Principal “This program celebrates our career and technical education students and acknowledges their commitment to the skilled trades. Because of this support, SkillsUSA National Signing Day will help generate more awareness of the skilled trades as a viable career option. We are very proud of these students and their commitment!”
Several Seniors were also recognized, during the event, for completing their RIVEROAK Postsecondary Career Certificate prior to graduating high school.
Automotive Collision Technology Technician Kylie Mathews
Brick, Block, and Masonry Abigail Ranck
Facials Specialty Caylee Coffman
Facials Specialty Dakota Fernandez
Facials Specialty Mersadie Gaskins
Facials Specialty Arwen Haley
Facials Specialty Katherine Lansford
Facials Specialty Erika Rioux
Facials Specialty Myka Scott
Facials Specialty Lynn Lee Stratton
Facials Specialty Danica Williams
Nails Specialty Cadence Denmark
Nails Specialty Dakota Fernandez
Nails Specialty Arwen Haley
Nails Specialty Melanee Jones
Nails Specialty Katherine Lansford
Nails Specialty Angelina Maldonado
Nails Specialty Karmen Mitchell
Nails Specialty Erika Rioux
Nails Specialty A’Zaryah Roundtree
Nails Specialty Veronica Vargas
Welding Technology Noah Garrison
About SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a nonprofit partnership of education and industry founded in 1965 to strengthen the nation’s skilled workforce. Driven by employer demand, SkillsUSA helps students develop necessary personal and workplace skills along with technical skills grounded in academics. This SkillsUSA Framework empowers every student to succeed at work and in life, while helping to close the skills gap in which millions of position go unfilled. Through SkillsUSA’s championships program and curricula, employers have ensured schools are teaching relevant technical skills, and with SkillsUSA’s new credentialing process, they can now assess how ready potential employees are for the job. SkillsUSA has more than 380,000 annual members nationwide in high schools, middle schools and colleges, covering over 130 trade, technical and skilled service occupations, and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and Labor as integral to career and technical education. SkillsUSA has served more than 14.6 million members since 1965. For more information: www.skillsusa.org.
