Sewickley, PA July 20, 2005 -- Forty-eight contestants who were the winners of their local, regional and state graphic communications competitions competed in a daylong Graphic Communications Contest conducted on Thursday, June 23, 2005. They were among the 4,700 students, considered the “cream of the crop,” from across the United States that competed in 84 skills and leadership contests at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Championships held June 21–24 in Kansas City, Missouri.Graphic communications students tested in areas such as digital workflow, electronic prepress, finishing, offset press operations, oral professional assessment, production planning, and a technical knowledge test. Points were accumulated for the various segments and three overall medallists each emerged for the high school and college post-secondary categories. Professor Jesus Rodriguez, Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas, who chaired this year’s technical committee, reported, “The students this year were a serious-minded group of young men and women. Their creative adaptability to unfamiliar equipment was excellent. Their attitudes and bearings were exciting to watch.” Xante' provided judges and equipment for the competition. John C. Thomas, product specialist for Xante' represented the company this year. Gold medallists for each category won the use of a Heidelberg Printmaster 46-2 Press for one year for their respective educational institution with an option to buy after that year. Larry Kroll, VP education and training, Heidelberg, Kennesaw, Georgia, donated the manpower hours of a four-man crew as well as the presses used at the competition. Heidelberg also sponsored the speaker, Justin Green, a SkillsUSA winner in 1999, 2000, and 2001, for the graphic communications breakfast sponsored by the Printing Industries of America and Graphic Arts Technical Foundation held on Friday, June 24, 2005. The awards ceremony was held on Friday evening.