Decatur sophomore Max Barros won 1st place in advertising design at the SkillsUSA regional competition held at the Cobb Innovation and Technology Academy in Marietta in January.

The competition required students to sit for two and a half hours designing a logo, business card, and a flyer; with no break. “Being at the competition was brain-numbing and stressful,” Barros said.

There was little prior information on what the competition would be like, so to prepare, Mr. Messer (Barros’ graphics teacher) coached him for the competition by mimicking design challenges under a time constraint.

According to SkillsUSA websote, the organization has more than 395,000 students and professional members nation-wide. Through participation in the organization students attend competitions and training programs designed to enhance their technical and occupational skills to become more well-rounded.

Barros’s hard work paid off in the end. “The fun part about the contest was creating the final product; there is something satisfying about compiling all of your ideas into a cohesive brand identity.”