Baker Middle School Wins First-Ever State Title at Georgia SkillsUSA Conference

Baker Middle School has reached a historic milestone, earning its first-ever state championship at the Georgia SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference.

For the first time in school history, Baker competed in the middle school division of SkillsUSA, a national Career and Technical Student Organization that prepares students for leadership roles and skilled careers through hands-on competitions and real-world learning experiences.

Under the leadership of Career Development teacher and SkillsUSA advisor Danyel C. Spencer, a team of Baker students captured a Gold Medal at the state conference. Tra Love, Samuel Lopez and Aiden Johnson earned first place for their presentation, “Positive Behavior = Privilege.”

The project focused on the connection between positive decision-making, school culture and access to opportunities. Through their presentation, the students demonstrated how accountability, leadership and personal responsibility influence academic achievement and long-term workforce readiness.

In addition to the Gold Medal team’s success, Jordyn Wilson earned a Bronze Medal in Graphic Design in her first-ever competition, further highlighting the depth of talent among Baker’s students.

SkillsUSA is closely aligned with Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE), which provides students with career exploration opportunities, employability skills and industry-aligned instruction. Through CTAE programs, students gain early exposure to workforce pathways, leadership development and hands-on learning experiences beyond traditional classroom instruction.

With their state victory, the Gold Medal team will advance to represent Baker Middle School and the Muscogee County School District at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta in June, where they will compete against top-performing students from across the country.

The achievement marks a defining moment for Baker Middle School, representing both its first appearance at the state-level SkillsUSA competition and its first state championship in the organization’s history.

School leaders say what began as a new opportunity for middle school students has quickly become a transformative accomplishment. Baker’s students are not only making history — they are establishing a new standard of excellence and demonstrating the impact of preparation, access and belief in young scholars.