Wyatt and Rodriguez-Ramirez represented McDowell Technical Community College and the state of North Carolina at the postsecondary level during the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The national competition brings together state winners from across the United States and U.S. territories, placing students in high-level contests that test technical knowledge, hands-on skills, leadership, professionalism and career readiness.

For McDowell Tech, the achievement was especially meaningful because this was the college’s first time competing in the national Robotics: Urban Search and Rescue event. 

“This is an extraordinary accomplishment for Carter, Kevin, the McDowell Tech Robotics Club and our entire college,” said Dr. J.W. Kelley, President of McDowell Technical Community College. “To compete nationally is impressive. To win a Silver Medal in your first year competing in this event is truly exceptional. Carter and Kevin represented McDowell Tech, McDowell County and North Carolina with skill, maturity and determination, and we could not be more proud of them.”

The SkillsUSA Robotics: Urban Search and Rescue competition is designed to simulate the type of robotic technology used in remote explosives disposal by emergency service personnel, including fire, police and military teams. In the contest, two-member teams must design and build a mobile robot and arm mechanism before arriving at competition. The robot must then be capable of navigating a challenge course, operating remotely through camera systems, moving across different types of terrain and manipulating simulated hazardous materials or ordnances and safely disposing of them at specific drop-off points.

The competition tests far more than whether a robot can move. Students must demonstrate mechanical design, electrical systems knowledge, robotics skills, troubleshooting, problem-solving, documentation, communication, teamwork and the ability to perform under pressure. In competition, one student typically serves as driver while the other serves as spotter, requiring close coordination, clear communication and trust between teammates.

Dr. Brandon Hensley, Dean of Career and Technical Education at McDowell Tech, said Wyatt and Rodriguez-Ramirez distinguished themselves not only through their technical abilities, but also through their professionalism and preparation.

“Carter and Kevin demonstrated the very best of what we hope to see in Career and Technical Education,” Hensley said. “They showed technical skill, but they also showed preparation, teamwork, communication, determination and professionalism. This competition requires students to bring together mechanical design, electrical systems, robotics, troubleshooting and problem-solving in a real-world way. Their success reflects their own hard work, the strength of our programs and the dedication of the faculty and staff who supported them.”

For Rodriguez-Ramirez, who graduated with High Honors in May from McDowell Tech with both an Associate in Science degree and an Associate in Engineering degree, the competition was an opportunity to gain experience in areas directly related to his future career interests in electrical engineering. He also felt that it would be a very memorable experience.

He said the robotics competition was both fun and challenging, and that it helped him continue to build communication and teamwork skills.

At McDowell Tech, Rodriguez-Ramirez was a member of both the National Honor Society and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. He also served as Vice President of the McDowell Tech Student Government Association and was involved in Student Council and International Club at McDowell Early College. In addition, he played soccer for four years at McDowell High School and is a member and volunteer at Marion Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Rodriguez-Ramirez has been named a Goodnight Scholar at NC State University, a prestigious scholarship for the colleges top STEM students. He plans to pursue a degree in electrical engineering. 

Wyatt will also receive both an Associate in Science degree and an Associate in Engineering degree from McDowell Tech this summer. Like Rodriguez-Ramirez, he was involved in Student Council at McDowell Early College and served in McDowell Tech Student Government Association, where he was Parliamentarian.

Wyatt has also been active in service to others. He is a volunteer at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Old Fort and serves as a volunteer firefighter with Sugar Hill-Montford Cove Fire Department. He has participated in mission trips, including work with a group that builds ramps for newly disabled individuals being released from the hospital. He also volunteered at Give Kids The World Village, a nonprofit resort in Florida where critically ill children and their families are able to experience a weeklong vacation.

Wyatt plans to attend UNC Charlotte, where he will major in mechanical engineering.

Although he had some early exposure to robotics through a code-based summer camp when he was in elementary school, Wyatt said he did not enter the SkillsUSA competition expecting to reach the national stage. When Jamie Hill, Engineering and Physics Instructor and Advisor to the McDowell Tech Robotics Club, approached him about the opportunity, Wyatt thought it would be a fun and constructive way to learn more about robotics. He considered it a longshot when he and Rodriguez-Ramirez entered, but after advancing from the state level, the team went on to win second place nationally.

College leaders said the achievement demonstrates the value of applied learning and the importance of giving students opportunities to test their skills beyond the classroom.

“At McDowell Tech, we talk often about helping students discover what they are capable of achieving,” Kelley said. “Carter and Kevin are a powerful example of that mission in action. Their success shows what can happen when talented students, dedicated instructors and strong community support come together. This is not just a medal; it is a reminder that our students can compete with anyone in the nation.”

Kelley and Hensley expressed appreciation to the McDowell Tech Foundation for Mini-Grant funding that helped cover the start-up costs of the robots used by the students. College leaders also recognized Hill for the expertise, guidance and commitment that helped make participation in the competition possible.

“This kind of achievement does not happen by accident,” Hensley said. “It takes students willing to put in the work, faculty willing to mentor and guide them, and a college community willing to invest in opportunities that help students grow. Carter and Kevin earned this recognition, and they have set a high standard for future McDowell Tech competitors.”

SkillsUSA is a national career and technical student organization that serves middle school, high school and college/postsecondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. Its national competitions are designed to showcase the skills of America’s future workforce while reinforcing technical training, employability skills and leadership development.

For McDowell Tech, the national Silver Medal is also a sign of momentum for the college’s growing robotics and engineering-related opportunities. The McDowell Tech Robotics Club gives students a place to explore robotics, engineering design, mechanical systems, electronics, coding, teamwork and problem-solving in ways that connect directly to modern careers in advanced manufacturing, engineering, automation, public safety technology and related fields.

 “Carter and Kevin represented McDowell Tech, our community and the state of North Carolina exceptionally well,” Kelley said. “We celebrate them not only for what they won, but for how they competed—with humility, preparation, teamwork and excellence. They have made all of us proud.”

Source: McDowell Technical Community College.