(RED OAK, Texas) – Three students from Texas State Technical College’s North Texas campus received medals at the recent 2026 SkillsUSA Texas Postsecondary Leadership and Skills Conference in Corpus Christi.
“I am incredibly proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our students at the recent competition,” said Marcus Balch, provost of TSTC’s North Texas campus. “Bringing home medals in Precision Machining and HVAC is a powerful testament to the technical mastery, discipline, and get-to-work attitude that defines our campus. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our instructors for their tireless support and mentorship.”
Edward Wilds took home the gold medal for Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration.
“It was a complete shock,” he said. “I didn’t think I did that well, so when I saw my name up there, I nearly fainted. I was very excited, almost mortified, but excited.”
Wilds is eligible to compete in the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, scheduled for June 1-5 in Atlanta, Georgia. He said he is excited to be the Texas representative.
Dustin Schenstrom won a silver medal in the CNC Programmer category. He said the competition involved every aspect of what he has learned from the Precision Machining program.
“It was a good evaluation of our skills,” Schenstrom said. “It gave me a good understanding of where I stood amongst my peers.”
Miloslav “Milo” Toth also competed in the CNC Programmer category, for which he received the bronze medal. He said that placing in the competition confirmed he is headed in the right direction, both in Precision Machining and his career.
“Getting a job was also a good step in the right direction, but work is skill-wise and this competition is knowledge-wise,” Toth said. “The competition I did was directly in line with what my education was, so without my education I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
SkillsUSA is a professional organization focused on employability, leadership and technical skills that help college students pursue successful careers and be part of a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA has more than 100 specific contests at the state and national events in which students can compete, from 3D Visualization and Animation to Welding Sculpture.
Registration for the summer and fall semesters at TSTC is underway. For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.