courtesy of Breithaupt Career Technical Center
Three students from Breithaupt Career Technical Center are bringing home the gold after clinching first place in the Community Service category at the 2025 SkillsUSA Michigan State Leadership and Skills Conference, held April 11–13 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Anthony Bronaugh, Dominique Hubbard, and Da’Juan Jackson-Groves stood out among hundreds of students from across the state for their impactful, youth-led Community Service Project. With a mission to promote inclusion and give back to the local community, the trio’s work revolved around supporting Special Olympics Unified Sports and organizing critical outreach events including a toy drive, canned goods collection, and a Thanksgiving basket giveaway.
Tanisha Bronaugh, Work-Based Learning Placement Coordinator and coach, highlighted watching Anthony, Dominique, and Da’Juan grow through this project has been one of the most rewarding experiences as their SkillsUSA Advisor.
“Their dedication, teamwork, and heart for service truly embodies what SkillsUSA stands for,” Bronaugh said.
“Seeing them take the stage at the State Championship and win gold was incredible, but the true victory was the leaders they became along the way.”
Their efforts, which combined strategic planning, empathy, and hands-on action, captured the judges’ attention and ultimately secured them the coveted gold medal.
The award-winning project placed inclusion at its core by aligning with the values of the Special Olympics Unified Sports program, which brings together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to train and compete on the same team.
By supporting this initiative, Bronaugh, Hubbard, and Jackson-Groves not only raised awareness about the importance of diversity and unity in sports but also emphasized the role of student leaders in fostering inclusive environments.
“SkillsUSA showed me that when you put your heart into something, the impact goes far beyond a medal,” Dominique said.
In addition to their work with Unified Sports, the students took their commitment to service even further. They organized a toy drive during the winter holiday season, collecting and distributing gifts to children in need.
They followed that up with a school-wide canned goods collection, donating hundreds of non-perishable food items to local shelters and food banks. Just before Thanksgiving, they led the effort to distribute customized baskets filled with groceries to families facing food insecurity, an initiative that directly served dozens of households in the Detroit area.
“Winning gold was amazing, but what really mattered was knowing we made a difference in our community and grew stronger as a team,” Da’Juan said.
The SkillsUSA Michigan State Leadership and Skills Conference is a highly competitive event, drawing more than 2,000 students from career and technical education (CTE) programs statewide. The Community Service competition recognizes projects that demonstrate the value of giving back, teamwork, and effective communication. Contestants are judged not only on the impact of their service but also on the professionalism of their presentation and the clarity of their project documentation.
Bronaugh, Hubbard, and Jackson-Groves spent months preparing for the event developing their project portfolio, crafting their presentation, and refining their speaking skills. Their commitment paid off with a gold medal finish, advancing them to the national stage.
With the state championship behind them, the Breithaupt trio is now gearing up for the 2025 SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, set to take place in Atlanta, Georgia, this June. There, they’ll represent Michigan and compete against top teams from across the country.
School staff, peers, and community members are coming together to support the students as they prepare for the next stage of their journey. In a year filled with challenges and changes, these three students have demonstrated that service, inclusion, and leadership are not just ideals; they are actionable plans. With gold medals around their necks and the backing of an entire community, they are ready to take their mission and message to the national spotlight.
“Every event we participated in and the time we spent working with Special Olympics Unified Sports athletes taught me the real meaning of leadership, service, and teamwork,” Anthony said.
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