Two Liberty High School students taking the Digital Marketing & Media Design program at the Kern High School District’s Career Technical Education Center, known as CTEC, competed in the SkillsUSA State Conference, placing in first and second place in their events.
Senior Janet Luo, who competed in the Advertising Design competition at the conference, won a gold medal and will be competing in the National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta in June. Senior Aileen Urias competed in the Outstanding Chapter event with team members from Stockdale High School and North High School and won a silver medal.
SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit that empowers students to become world-class workers, leaders, and responsible citizens. It offers career and technical students the opportunity to showcase their skills through leadership development and competitive events.
Digital Marketing and Media Design Instructor and SkillsUSA Advisor Walter Suazo likened SkillsUSA to “the Olympics for career tech education students, who train and compete in categories aligned with their career path.”
Students enrolled in the Digital Marketing & Media Design program at CTEC are introduced to the world of branding, social media content creation, and digital communications. Mr. Suazo explained that students learn to craft brand stories and marketing campaigns using industry-standard tools including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Rush, while also mastering social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
“The program combines hands-on learning, real-world projects, internship experiences, and opportunities for national certification — all designed to prepare students for careers in graphic design, digital marketing, and content creation,” Mr. Suazo said.
Janet Luo said that preparing to compete in the Advertising Design event at the SkillsUSA state conference “...took a lot of work, but it was such a great experience. In the Digital Marketing and Media Design class at CTEC, I spent lots of time practicing, working on logos, ad thumbnails, and full campaigns based on client briefs. I learned a lot about managing time, staying creative under pressure, and making sure every design choice had a purpose.”
The students had a limited amount of time to create an entire ad campaign, including a logo, multiple thumbnails, and promotional materials. The judges were looking for creativity, technical skill, and how well the competitors stuck to the client’s vision. “I was definitely nervous at the start,” Janet said. ‘But once I got going, I really got into it and enjoyed the process.”
Aileen Urias’s work for the Outstanding Chapter event included organizing the chapter’s accomplishments, building a detailed portfolio, and practicing presentation skills. A SkillsUSA chapter is a local student organization within a school that helps members develop leadership, workplace and technical skills.
“The competition was intense but exciting,” Aileen said. “We had to present everything our chapter had done throughout the year, from community service projects to leadership activities, and show how we exemplified the SkillsUSA Framework. The judges were looking for clear communication, professionalism, and how well we demonstrated our chapter's impact. I was definitely nervous at first, but once we started presenting, the adrenaline kicked in and I felt confident in our team.”
Aileen added, “Preparing for this event was definitely a team effort. Our advisors were incredibly supportive, huge shoutout to Mr. Suazo and Mrs. Erin Hodson for guiding us through every step. They really helped us stay focused and motivated.”
Mr. Suazo had praise for his students: "Janet and Aileen are second-year advanced students in my Digital Marketing & Media Design program who are setting a new standard for what it means to be career ready. They have been project leads for many of our major KHSD related events, like the Kern High Film Festival and the Kern County Career and STEM expo. Their creativity, drive, and technical skills stood out at the state level. All 12 of my students who competed earned medals, from bronze to gold, and Janet is one of my four gold medalists who is now headed to Nationals. It’s a powerful reminder that Kern County students are more than capable of competing on a national stage."