FM Trades team wraps up national Skills USA event

From left to right Emmett Kruse, Hayden Wolfe, Instructor Clint Kobelt, Landes Williams, and Andrew Schaefer stand in front of their national Skills USA TeamWorks project in Atlanta Thursday evening. The team received a silver medal in the TeamWorks competition, making them the second-best high school team in the country. Courtesy photo

Posted Friday, June 24, 2022 6:00 am

Chuck Vandenberg

PCC STAFF

ATLANTA - The Skills USA TeamWorks competition wrapped up today at 4 p.m. in Atlanta, Ga. with Fort Madison High School's trades team standing pretty tall when all was said and done.

Under the leadership of advisor, Clint Kobelt, the four-man crew of Emmett Kruse (junior), Andrew Schaefer (senior), Landes Williams (senior), and Hayden Wolfe (senior) represented the state of Iowa in in the competition.

In April the foursome traveled to Ankeny for the state's Skills USA competition and took first place.

The state event was held outside in sub-freezing temperatures and the crew was actually snowed on while starting their build.

The competitions include carpentry, electrical and plumbing at the state level. Masonry is added at the national level in a more complex 3-day design, present, and construct presentation.

Results will be announced Friday evening at a dinner and awards ceremony.

At the last Skills Event held in Louisville in 2019, the Bloodhounds, again representing Iowa, finished in the top 25 in the country.