By Julie Slama | [email protected]

Murray High senior Jacob Haran is in his school’s history book. This past spring, Haran achieved his school’s first gold medal in the state’s SkillsUSA Job Skill Demonstration competition.

“In SkillsUSA, we teach a lot of leadership skills as well as hands-on job skills, since he’s strong in both areas, he had to be able to present himself professionally, be organized, be thorough, and demonstrate his knowledge—and he nailed it,” said his teacher, Quin Drury, who instructs skilled and technology education.

Nailed it may mean both figuratively and literally.

According to the SkillsUSA website, the Job Skill Demonstration is designed to evaluate each contestant’s ability to demonstrate and explain an entry-level technical skill used in the occupational area for which he or she is training. 

Haran showed how to cope molding for inside corners and finished trim.

“He was able to share his technical knowledge and then have the leadership skills to communicate and demonstrate it,” Drury said.

The senior also had to present himself professionally on video as the competition was done virtually as was his entry into the national competition, which he qualified to enter as the state champion.

“We kept filming it again and again because this time we got interrupted or this time the bell rang as he spoke; it took about 15 takes,” Drury said about the process that was completed as the school year finished. “Jacob was patient and did a great job. He’s an excellent student, really capable and kind to other students.”

The Murray Board of Education also congratulated him at a recent board meeting and his classmates learned of his success over the school announcements.

In addition to his gold medal, Haran received a tuition waiver to Salt Lake Community College and tools from Lowe’s.

“It was really important that we had this year’s event and not cancel on the kids. They’ve lost so much, and this gives them such a great opportunity,” he said.

Murray High also had a third place winner, senior Bill Drury, in carpentry.