At the recent 2025 Nevada SkillsUSA Competition, students from Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) and ACE High School achieved notable success, earning medals across several categories. The event occurred at the Dandini Campus and the William N. Pennington Applied Technology Center, with students excelling particularly in welding and culinary arts.
In the welding category, TMCC student Adrian Pelayo Rios achieved a gold medal. Despite having already obtained two degrees from TMCC in diesel and welding, Pelayo Rios continues his studies to enhance his skills for his welding career. “There are four different types of processes: aluminum, cutting with a torch, a stick project, and a MIG project,” Pelayo Rios explained. Despite facing challenges, he emerged victorious, celebrating alongside silver medalist Niko Gregory Danger Lund, also from TMCC.
Pelayo Rios looks to continue his success at the upcoming national SkillsUSA competition, seeking guidance from his instructor, Scott Holcomb. “I need to put in more time, more practice, more effort, to do something at nationals,” he shared.
In culinary arts, TMCC’s Jesse Vazquez overcame pre-competition nerves and health challenges to win a gold medal. “On the surface, I looked cool, calm, and collected, deep down I was very nervous,” Vazquez admitted. The competition required students to demonstrate various culinary skills, culminating in a main entree made from previously butchered chicken.
Vazquez received feedback from judges Travis Stehman and Jay Rathmann and is now preparing for the national competition. He is determined to improve, working closely with TMCC Chef Craig Rodrigue. “We’re going through a lot of classical French recipes, trying to modernize them,” Vazquez noted, balancing his studies with an internship at Desert Farming Initiative.
In other categories, ACE High School’s Veronica Solis Lopez, Alexander Driver, and Kevin Marcial Cruz secured top positions in architectural drafting. Joshua Godfrey of ACE High School earned gold in CNC programming. TMCC students Nicole Romero, Gianna Logrecco, and Jordan Valencia swept the baking and pastry category.
The event’s success reflects the dedication of both students and faculty. Those who secured gold medals, like Pelayo Rios and Vazquez, will advance to the national SkillsUSA competition in Atlanta this June.
