TCC student wins first place in SkillsUSA Missouri brand design
FOX23 News at 9 p.m
POPLAR BLUFF, Mo., (KBSI) — A senior at Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center has made school history by winning first place in the secondary brand design category at the SkillsUSA Missouri competition, the first such win for the program in a decade.
Amelia Hampton, a computer graphic arts student from Van Buren, created a T-shirt design selected by membership after being advanced by the executive council. The design was worn at the Leadership and Skills Conference held April 9-11 at State Technical College of Missouri in Linn.
Hampton said her design highlights Missouri’s outdoor landscape, drawing inspiration from the Ozarks region where she grew up. The design was limited to four colors, plus the shirt itself.
“Amelia, having grown up on the edge of the Ozarks, knows how beautiful Missouri is and wanted to put the spotlight on that,” said Alex Nicolini, a graphic arts instructor at the technical career center. He described Missouri’s landscape as ranging “from flatland wetlands to hill country full of caves and waterfalls,” as well as scenic rivers.
Nicolini also noted the continued importance of human creativity in design despite advances in artificial intelligence.
“Being a designer that is able to create something new and fresh to the eyes will remain in demand for a long, long time,” he said.
Hampton’s design, which incorporates water textures and subtle elements of the year, will also appear on a high school trading pin at the national conference in June in Atlanta.
Several other students from the center also earned honors. Nicholas Batrano and Cody Grobe won gold in robotics and automation technology, and Abby Alexander took gold in esthetics, qualifying all three for the national competition. Avery Bohrer earned silver in cosmetology technology information and bronze in nail care.
Bronze medals were also awarded to Mason Magill in automotive refinishing technology, Andrew Mahurin in culinary arts and Kaden McCain in screen printing technology.
