Sanders County students put their skills on display last month at the state SkillsUSA competition in Helena. Plains had 10 students compete in the state event, and Thompson Falls took four.

First-place winners from the state event qualify for the National SkillsUSA competition in Atlanta in June.

Plains advisor Kyle Mitchell said most students competed in at least two competitions at state. The 10 students competed in 12 different competitions, and seven team members came home with medals. Teirainy Bellinger, Peyton Wasson, and Caleb Lakko placed first in a team event where they created and presented a promotional bulletin board. Bellinger also placed first in t-shirt design.

Brandt Snead took second in t-shirt design and technical drafting. Abigail Wessely took second in gastronomic engineering (formerly culinary arts) and third in pin design. Caleb Lakko placed second in prepared speech, Gabe Rasmussen third in cabinet making and Ireland Corbin second in wood sculpture. Also competing for Plains were Mackenzie Tulloch, Isa Bakker and Gabe Rasmussen.

The state competition was hosted by Helena College and East Helena High School. "SkillsUSA Montana hosts the state leadership and skills competition every spring which usually brings together about 300 students from across the state of Montana," Mitchell stated.

Along with medals, students received prizes. For example, Mitchell said Wessely received a $2,000 scholarship from the Culinary Institute and Lakko received a scholarship for a semester's tuition at Helena College. Lakko also successfully ran for state office in SkillsUSA. He will serve as an officer during the 2024-2025 school year, and Mitchell said Lakko will find out in the fall which office he will hold.

Thompson Falls Junior Allyeska Vild, age 17, also brought home a first-place medal from the state competition. Her entry was power equipment technology in the small engines category. She was tested on her knowledge and maintenance of two-stroke and four-stroke engines.

"This is my second year competing. Last year I got fourth place. They gave me a certificate to award me for my drive and passion, so I would return this year," Vild surmised.

Vild said the judging was based on her presentation of tools and parts identification, compression tests, and leak down tests to see how much air is being held and if it is enough. "I did a service writeup for maintenance, hours of labor and the cost for parts. I also did electricity testing for continuity in the electrical system. The engines are primarily used in lawn mowers, dirt bikes, and snowmobiles," she said.

"My dad works on engines so I thought I'd give it a shot," Vild explained. She added with levity, "I had to learn engines because I am the oldest and there aren't any boys. I thought it would be a cool thing to do with my dad, to see the mechanics of it."

Carter Marquardt of Thompson Falls brought home two medals from the state competition. He placed second in power equipment technology behind Vild, and third in job interviews. Andy Brotherton and Cole Seward also competed for Thompson Falls in the combination welding and job interview categories.

"All the kids did great, representing Thompson Falls very well in Helena," advisor Bill McGuire stated. He added that the job interview contest required a lot of work up front with building an employment portfolio and then going through a real life-job application and interview process. He said that while the welding students did not place, they produced examples of fine welds and cutting ability.

Shannon Brown

Allyeska Vild shows her engine that she took to state for the SkillsUSA competition where she won first place.

"Allyeska did the competition last year and placed fourth and really applied herself to increasing her knowledge and skill set to find success in winning this year," McGuire explained. "Her family and school are proud of her achievement and wish her the best of luck!"