Granite Hills High School has been named a SkillsUSA Model of Excellence school in Workplace Skills for 2026.
Apple Valley Unified School District officials stated that only 24 schools nationwide have earned the title of Models of Excellence.
“This is the highest honor bestowed on chapters by SkillsUSA, the number one workforce development organization working to empower students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders, and responsible community members,” district officials stated.
Student development
The Models of Excellence program promotes the intentional learning of “personal, workplace, and technical” skills, as outlined in the SkillsUSA Framework for student development.
Specific characteristics defined within each skill area benchmark student achievement and chapter programming. The hands-on approach of this program actualizes the SkillsUSA mission as students take the lead on all activities and practice the skills that employers seek, including communication, teamwork and problem-solving.
SkillsUSA instructors guide them along the way, elevating their learning from classroom instruction to the successful application of skills.
“Our SkillsUSA top 24 Models of Excellence school represent the best in chapter achievement and community involvement,” SkillsUSA Executive Director Chelle Travis said. “These students are America’s future skilled workforce and future leaders in their local communities. It is a tremendous honor for these schools and their recognition validates these outstanding SkillsUSA programs.”
Leadership Conference
Career Technical Education students at Granite Hills will be interviewed and honored in June at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta.
A panel of judges will evaluate each chapter based on its goals, student-led plan of action, results, final evaluation, and integration of the SkillsUSA Framework.
After these interviews, the top three schools will be named at the SkillsUSA Awards Session for personal skills, workplace skills and technical skills.
The winner will receive national recognition and the opportunity to share their stories in SkillsUSA publications and training resources.
“I am incredibly proud of our Chapter Officers for the outstanding work they put into our application, and we are excited to represent Granite Hills at the national conference—sharing our story and competing to be named the top chapter in Workplace Skills in the nation,” Granite Hills Career Technical Education Coordinator Emily Cornwell said.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Granite Hills High named a national Model of Excellence School
Reporting by Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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