DOWNEY -- Two career and technical students from Downey won one of the nation’s highest awards at the 2018 SkillsUSA Championships, held in Louisville, Ky., on June 27-28.

Cristina Fuentes from Warren High School and Damian Vasquez, a Downey resident attending Schurr High School, were awarded a Skill Point Certificate in Esthetics and the high school gold medal in Mobile Electronics, respectively.

More than 6,300 students competed at the national showcase of career and technical education.
Students were invited to the event to demonstrate their technical skills, workplace skills and personal skills in 102 hands-on occupational and leadership competitions including robotics, automotive technology, drafting, criminal justice, aviation maintenance and public speaking.

Industry leaders from 600 businesses, corporations, trade associations and unions planned and evaluated the contestants against their standards for entry-level workers. More than 1,700 industry judges and technical committee members participated this year.

The SkillsUSA Championships is the largest skill competition in the world and covers 1.4 million square feet, equivalent to 20 football fields or 25 acres.