At the 2026 SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC), held June 1–5, Delcastle competitors were part of Delaware's largest-ever delegation to nationals: a record 119 students and advisors from across the state. NLSC is the biggest showcase of student skill in the nation, where state champions go head-to-head in more than 100 hands-on technical and leadership contests. Standing on that national stage is an achievement in itself, and our students did far more than show up.
Two National Champions
Two Delcastle students climbed all the way to the top of the podium, earning gold medals as national champions in their fields:
- Lucas Jarrell — National Champion, Building Maintenance
- Devin Jones — National Champion, Screen Printing Technology
Bringing home gold from a national competition of this size is a rare and remarkable accomplishment, and it speaks to the talent, focus, and countless hours of preparation these students put in.
Top Finishers on the National Stage
Delcastle students earned strong national rankings across a wide range of programs, including a Top 4 finish:
- Nicholas Fletcher — Internet of Things (Smart Home) — Top 4 in the nation
- Alvalis Frias Garcia — Nail Care — Top 8
- Axel Nava-Cruz, Aiden Smith-Shuman, and Carlos Villalobos Santoyo — Chapter Display — Top 9
- Saviyon DeShields and Benjamin Granato — Audio Production — Top 10
- Lily Pro — Prepared Speech — Top 11
- Monserrath Cruz-Lopez — Related Technical Math — Top 15
- Mark Smith — Job Skill Demonstration Open — Top 15
Every one of these finishes placed our students among the very best in their occupational area nationwide.
Industry-Endorsed Credentials Across 12 Competition Areas
Beyond medals and rankings, 18 Delcastle students earned the SkillsUSA Skill Point Certificate, which is a prestigious, industry-endorsed credential awarded only to competitors who score above a high national benchmark. The skills behind the certificate are defined by industry experts and corporate partners, making it real, resume-ready proof that a student has mastered the competencies employers demand.
What makes this group especially impressive is its range: our recipients earned certificates across 12 different competition areas, from the skilled trades to digital media to public speaking. This is a great snapshot of just how broad Delcastle's career and technical programs reach.
2026 Skill Point Certificate Recipients:
- Monserrath Cruz-Lopez — Related Technical Math
- Saviyon DeShields — Audio Production
- Nicholas Fletcher — Internet of Things (Smart Home)
- Alvalis Frias Garcia — Nail Care
- Donovan Gomez — Community Service
- Benjamin Granato — Audio Production
- Andre Grube — Community Service
- Lucas Jarrell — Building Maintenance
- Devin Jones — Screen Printing Technology
- Kamora Jones — Video Production
- Axel Nava-Cruz — Chapter Display
- Emily Ortiz — Community Service
- Lily Pro — Prepared Speech
- Jessica Sanchez-Rodriguez — Video Production
- Madilyn Scully — Restaurant Service
- Aiden Smith-Shuman — Chapter Display
- Carlos Villalobos Santoyo — Chapter Display
- Aaron Winn — Advertising Design
Leading the State All the Way There
Delcastle's national run was earned at the Delaware State Leadership & Skills Conference (SLSC) in March, where a state gold medal is what qualifies a competitor to advance to nationals. Delcastle led every school in the state, earning 90 state medals, 42 of them gold, more than any other school in Delaware. That dominant performance at the state level is exactly what sent so many of our students to Atlanta.
A Proud Moment for the Cougar Community
"Our students competed against the best career and technical education students in the country and came home as national champions," said Andrea Keen, State Director of SkillsUSA Delaware. "That does not happen by accident. It reflects years of investment by our schools, our teachers, and our industry partners, and the determination of students who refused to settle for anything less than their best."
"Watching our students hold their own against the best in the country is the proudest part of this job," said Anthony Tiberi, Jr., Student Activities Coordinator and SkillsUSA Advisor at Delcastle. "These results aren't luck. They're the product of long hours, real commitment, and students who believed they belonged on that stage. And what makes me proudest is the range: from the skilled trades to digital media to public speaking, Delcastle students proved that excellence lives in every program in this building. They represented our school with class, and they earned every bit of this."
Congratulations to every Delcastle competitor who represented our school with skill, professionalism, and Cougar pride, and a heartfelt thank-you to the teachers, advisors, and families whose support made these national achievements possible.