Viktoriya Semenenko, a 2024 graduate of Seneca Valley Senior High School and former Seneca Valley Vo-Tech student placed first at the SkillsUSA National Championship.

Semenenko was awarded a gold medal in the advertising design category at the SkillsUSA Pennsylvania State Competition, and advanced to the National Championship where more than 6,500 other state champions competed for national gold, silver and bronze medals in 115 competitions.

The advertising design competition lasted three days, simulating the experience of working in an advertising agency. Competitors were judged based on technical skills and creativity.

“Over the past year, leading up to this national competition, I’ve been marketing myself on Instagram,” Semenenko said. “Clients came to me for logos, designs, T-shirt designs and even truck wraps. While I wouldn’t say the competition was easy, I felt well-prepared thanks to the skills and experience I had developed, and I knew what was necessary to make my work stand out.”