SOWELA Students Advance to Nationals After Strong SkillsUSA Showing
Mar 31, 2026 03:41PM ● By Kelsey Swire
Students from SOWELA Technical Community College delivered an outstanding performance at the recent SkillsUSA State Conference, earning medals in all 14 contests the College entered. In total, SOWELA students brought home 23 medals, including 10 gold, 10 silver and three bronze, highlighting the strength and versatility of the College’s workforce and technical training programs.
Gold medalists include Sofia Castilla (Advertising Design), Autumn Buck (Screen Printing), Kaine Doman and Tyler Celestine (Audio Radio), Cannon Bruchhaus and Jacob Jewell (Digital Cinema), Matthew Upmeyer (Photography), Jerrald Deshotel and Hallie Welch (Video Production), Daniela Delabat (Technical Drafting), Lawrence Louviere (Architectural Drafting), Lauren May (Commercial Baking) and Andrew Citizen (Electrical Construction Wiring).
Silver medalists are Shelby Slone (Advertising Design), Chance DeCuir (Screen Printing), Megan Miller and Lillian Guevara (Audio Radio), Matt Dye (Photography), Alex-Kaye Latiolais (Architectural Drafting), Alicia Miller (Culinary), Natalie Trahan (Commercial Baking), Ashly Rodriguez (Restaurant Service), Chance DeCuir (State T-Shirt Design) and Kaden Doty (State Pin Design).
Bronze medalists included Lavontai Rious and Sierra Greenwood (Video Production), Gabriel Jackson (Culinary) and Sofia Castilla (State T-Shirt Design).
“This year was especially meaningful,” said Digital Arts Instructor Darrell Buck. “We had students place in the top three across all 14 contests we competed in, showing the continued strength and consistency of SOWELA’s programs. We also celebrated our first-ever gold medal wins in Digital Cinema and Electrical Construction Wiring, making this an especially exciting year for SOWELA. Now, our gold medalists will continue their journey to Nationals in Atlanta, and I am confident they will represent SOWELA with pride on the national stage.”
Gold medal winners will advance to represent Louisiana at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, Ga. later this summer.