By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – Numerous Shelby County students won awards at the State Skills USA Competition held at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex the week of April 18-22.

All first-place winners are eligible for the national competition in Louisville, Ky., in June, Shelby County College and Career Center Principal Russ Cofield wrote in an email.

The following students were winners at state this year:

•Automotive Refinishing (McCary) – Kyle Paul, Oak Mountain High School, first place; and Nathan Mercer, OMHS, third place.

•Collision Repair Technology (McCary) – Franklin Razo, Chelsea High School, second place.

•Class Project Display Team (Hill) – Chris Courington, Vincent High School, Josh Acton, Montevallo High School and Cody Hurt, Helena High School, third place.

•Crime Scene Investigation Team (Griffith) – Mason McCartney, Shelby County High School, Spencer Hollon, HHS and Savannah Shores, OMHS, first place; Gina Kent, CHHS, Alissa Duncan, OMHS, and Juliana Lindsay, HHS, third place.

•Criminal Justice (Griffith) – Spencer Hollon, HHS, first place.

•Fire Fighting (Griffith) – CD Lawley, MHS, third place.

•State Pin Design (Brooks) – Logan Williams, CHHS, second place.

•State HOSA competition (High) – Madison Andrews, Calera High School, and Brooke Denson, VHS, third place. They will be eligible for the National HOSA Competition in Nashville, Tenn., in June.

The SCCCC will hold a car wash to raise money for sending students to the Skills USA national competition.

The car wash will be held by appointment from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

The cost is $20 for washing and cleaning inside, and $50 for washing, cleaning inside and waxing.

“It is very costly to send these students (plus advisors) to national competitions,” Cofield wrote, noting the cost per student totals about $1,500. “We will post your logo on our website in exchange for a donation to national competition.”

Contact the SCCCC at 682-6650 to make car wash appointments.