Clover Park High School freshman Nicholai Collymore earned a bronze medal at the recent Washington state SkillsUSA Leadership Conference. He competed in the Power Equipment Technology skills competition.
The bronze medal indicates that Nicholai finished third among all competitors in Washington state. The placing also qualifies him to compete in the national competition in June.
"I was shocked," Nicholai said about his win. "Throughout the competition, I felt like I was still learning, so winning the bronze medal means a lot."
SkillsUSA is a nonprofit national education association that serves middle and high school students. The organization is focused on preparing students for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations.
Nicholai originally got involved with the SkillsUSA competitions because he is interested in a career in engineering or architecture.