Three PRCC students qualify for national skills competition

POPLARVILLE - Three Pearl River Community College students placed first in state SkillsUSA competition and will advance to the national conference.

Wayne Halcomb of Poplarville and his helper Joseph Gilkey of Lumberton won the masonry competition. Gabriel Ericson of Silver Creek was first in technical drafting, and Brandon Fletcher of Picayune came in first in architectural drafting.

Fletcher, Ericson and Halcomb will compete during the SkillsUSA Leadership Conference June 25-29 in Louisville, Ky. Because the national organization arranges for masonry helpers, Gilkey won’t go to the conference.

PRCC’s Quiz Bowl team also placed first in state competition but didn’t score high enough to advance. Members are Bethany Harris of Hattiesburg, Chelsea Jeffries of Perkinston, Terrel Ladner of Bay St. Louis, Justin Ladner and Colin Leake, both of Kiln.

Tyler Terwilliger of Pass Christian won third place in welding competition. The team of Jacob Cuevas of Kiln, Seth Davis of Slidell, La., and Nathan Hartfield of Purvis also placed third in welding fabrication.