Waukegan High School students with designs on a potential career in the technical, service or trade fields started a SkillsUSA Club midway through the 2024-2025 school year, joining more than 19,000 chapters throughout the country.
It quickly became one of the nation’s best.
Members work on projects and compete with clubs from other schools, demonstrating leadership, the ability to meet industry standards and promote career readiness. Skills can range from a trade like plumbing to the practice of medicine.
David Marks, the academic chair and coordinator of the career and technical education (CTE) department for Waukegan Community Unit School District 60, is involved in the program. He said it helps prepare students for life beyond high school.
“It bridges the gap between education and industry,” Marks said. “Some think this is not for college-bound students. It couldn’t be further from the truth. Some of the careers require a post-secondary degree.”
Waukegan High School’s SkillsUSA Club earned the organization’s Model of Excellence Designation on April 2, putting it among the nation’s top 24 programs and the right to compete for a top ranking at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference in June in Atlanta.
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Club President Edgar Lopez-Leon, a sophomore at the high school, said members — there are more than 200 — are collaborative, helping each other to succeed. It is important that each student feels as much success as possible.
“We like to push our members forward so they can achieve and be the best they can be,” Lopez-Leon said. “We work together on the appropriate skills.”
Anthony Garcia-Chavez, a sophomore and last year’s club president serving as secretary for the 2025-2026 school year, said he learned about the club while taking an introduction to business class last year.
“We knew we could do better this year,” Garcia-Gomez said. “We decided to work hard to improve our standing from last year.”
Arlene Mercado, a business education teacher and the club sponsor, was overwhelmed with the Model of Excellence designation. She knew the team had made significant progress over the past year, but becoming one of the 24 best out of more than 19,000 was unexpected.
“Oh my God, we couldn’t believe it,” Mercado said. “We have amazing students. They believe in themselves, and we are so proud.”
As they prepare for competition, Garcia-Chavez said they quiz each other and push their teammates to do as well as they can. Developing a work ethic that they can eventually take to their career is a goal.
Started in 1965 as the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, Marks said it became SkillsUSA in 2004 as the needs for both industrial and technical skills became more sophisticated. For some, an engineering degree is a necessity.
Mercado said computer skills are a must today, as well as other sophisticated techniques. For someone considering a healthcare career, they must learn how to start an IV tube.
Many of the skills for the competition that the students need to master are taught in the classroom. It is not done to prime them for competition. Mercado said they are essential tools. They are worked into lesson plans for the students to learn.
“They’re embedded in the curriculum,” Mercado said, “These are skills taught in class. They master these in class so they can succeed outside the classroom.”
When they get to Atlanta, Lopez-Leon and Garcia-Chavez will be representing the Waukegan club. Marks said there are three categories — community service, professional and technical. The Waukegan team qualified in the technical category. They will be ranked one through eight.
Garcia-Chavez said he and Lopez-Leon will spend a lot of time between now and June getting ready for the competition. With each potential pitfall, they will be looking for a remedy before they leave for Georgia.
Waukegan was the only school in Illinois to receive the Model of Excellence designation. Marks said there are 304 chapters in the state.