Sowela Technical Community College Morgan Smith site in Jennings announced the winners of the world’s largest skills competition for its annual Louisiana Postsecondary SkillsUSA Culinary Arts cookoff, which Sowela recently hosted.

Sowela Jennings student Felicia Harmon of Lake Charles took home the top prize of Gold in the Commercial Baking competition while Anna Candler of Lake Charles won the Silver. In the Culinary Arts category, Sowela Jennings student Ebony Whitley took the first place Gold medal while Travis Ceasar of Lake Charles was awarded Bronze. Harmon and Whitley are invited to Atlanta next month to compete in the National Leadership and Skills Conference Culinary competition.

The two-day event provided students from around the state in the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) with an opportunity to highlight their cooking expertise. Students were evaluated on a variety of areas, such as sanitation skills, food safety, clothing, preparation and presentation.

“Sowela students came out on top in the key categories in the culinary competition which we were thrilled to host as part of the Louisiana Postsecondary SkillsUSA Conference,” said Sowela SkillsUSA Advisor and Associate Professor Adrienne Abel. “These contests were the best way for students across Louisiana to showcase their leadership, teamwork and culinary skills.”

SkillsUSA offers students a multitude of networking and growth opportunities for career success. The SkillsUSA Framework encompasses three major areas: Personal Skills, Workplace Place and Technical Skills Grounded in Academics. Employing these areas helps prepare students for high demand, high-skilled and high-wage careers.