Career Tech Student Organization Participants Earn State Honors, Advance to National Competitions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2026
 

 
LANCASTER, Ohio — Students and alumni from Lancaster City Schools’ Career Technical Education programs earned top honors at statewide competitions through the National FFA Organization, SkillsUSA and Educators Rising, with several students advancing to national-level events.
 
From April 30 to May 1, Lancaster FFA members attended the 98th Ohio FFA Convention, where more than 11,000 members and guests gathered to celebrate student achievement and leadership in agricultural education. Spencer Swartz, Karlie Smith and Taylor Fast were recognized on stage for earning the prestigious FFA State Degree, the highest honor the Ohio association can award to student members. To qualify, students must complete at least two years of agricultural education coursework, actively participate in FFA activities and maintain a supervised agricultural experience with an investment of either 300 hours of work or $2,000 in financial investment.
 
In addition, Chapter Secretary Lauren Wilson and Treasurer Morgan Johnson earned Gold Officer Ratings for their leadership and service. Lancaster City Schools alum Claire Loudon was selected to serve on the 2026–2027 Ohio FFA State Officer Team as state treasurer, while LHS Sophomore Maggie Loudon was selected to perform as a solo vocalist during the closing ceremony. FFA is dedicated to developing students’ leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
 
On May 5–6, Lancaster students competed at the 74th annual SkillsUSA Ohio State Leadership and Skills Conference in Columbus alongside more than 7,000 students, advisors and guests from across the state. Jetson Wright earned a silver medal in criminal justice, while cosmetology students Cara Canter, Nora Duncan and Kaleigh Spradlin earned a bronze medal in the community service category. The annual conference highlights career and technical education by showcasing student talent across dozens of trade, technical and leadership fields. SkillsUSA prepares students to become skilled professionals and workforce-ready leaders.
 
Earlier this spring, all Lancaster Teaching Academy students competed at the 34th annual Ohio Educators Rising State Conference, which drew more than 1,000 students from across the state. Approximately 800 students participated in competitions including public speaking, lesson planning and research presentation while attending professional development workshops and networking opportunities. State winners Val Fox, Rylen Baer, Aaliyah Ice, Madison Shackelford and Katey Fosnaugh advanced to the 12th annual national Educators Rising conference, which will be held this June in Portland, Oregon. State Officers Allison Poling, Brooklyn Riley and Chloe Hinton will also attend the national conference.
 
“We are proud of our students for their accomplishments across a wide range of career pathways, including agriculture, criminal justice, cosmetology and education,” said Caroline Davis, associate principal and career tech director at Lancaster City Schools. “These achievements reflect the value of career technical education and the opportunities our programs provide for students to build real-world skills that lead to successful and fulfilling careers.”