2026 Competition at VERTICON Results: Rising All-Stars!
A group of students from Rising Aviation High School didn’t just show up to compete, they dominated. Rising Aviation earned the highest score in seven of nine events, propelling them to victory at the second annual Competition at VERTICON, presented by Snap-on, held during the 2026 VERTICON convention in Atlanta earlier this month. This marked the school’s first appearance in any national skills competition.
“We thought just being here would be a great experience for the kids and good for the school,” said Pete Miller, Aviation Maintenance and Technology Instructor at Rising Aviation High School. “I’m beyond thrilled for our students; they were the ones who achieved this.
“There’s definitely going to be a new attitude at the school. They know now that they have what it takes to succeed in this field. My goal is to develop competent, professional mechanics, and this is a huge step in that direction.”
Based in Addison, Texas, Rising Aviation High School is a private institution offering a STEAM-focused curriculum (Science, Technology, Engineering, Aviation, and Math) with an emphasis on aviation and aerospace technology. The school prepares students to continue their academic studies in college or trade school and pursue careers in aviation.
Now in its second year, The Competition at VERTICON is an aviation skills event hosted by the Aerospace Maintenance Council (www.amccompetition.com). The event gives licensed AMTs, AMEs, military personnel, and qualified aviation maintenance students the opportunity to test their skills against their peers. This year’s competition in Atlanta featured 22 teams, two commercials, six military, and 14 schools, competing in areas such as safety wiring, torque application, thrust reverser troubleshooting, and borescope inspection. Teams had 15 minutes to complete each task accurately; those who finished early and met safety standards earned higher scores, while errors resulted in deductions.
Each of the nine events was officiated by a corporate sponsor and included prizes for top performers. As overall champions, Miller, assistant coach and school principal Kassandra Dena, and student competitors Garrett Moore, Jaden Barraza, and Thomas (TJ) Wilson took home a replica helicopter crafted from Snap-on tools. A full list of event sponsors and results can be found here: The Competition at VERTICON: 2026 Results & Highlights - Aerospace Maintenance Council.
Snap-on’s role as presenting sponsor of The Competition at VERTICON and the Council’s flagship event, The Competition at MRO Americas, underscores the company’s ongoing commitment to aviation maintenance technicians worldwide. This year, Snap-on is donating more than $150,000 in tools and equipment prizes for top finishers in both events.
Click here to watch a short video highlighting Rising Aviation High School’s achievements at the 2026 Competition at VERTICON: https://youtu.be/DyPF1XHbm-c
For more information about Snap-on, call 877.740.1900 or visit https://www.snapon.com/Aviation. For more information on The Competition at VERTICON or MRO Americas, visit www.amccompetition.com.
Photo identification (L-to-R)
Scott Steward, Snap-on Industrial; Thomas (TJ) Wilson, Rising Aviation High School; Garrett Moore, Rising Aviation High School; Sebastian Rosas, Rising Aviation High School; Pete Miller, Aviation Maintenance and Technology Instructor at Rising Aviation High School; Kassy Dena, Rising Aviation High School; Jades Barraza, Rising Aviation High School; Preston Simms, Rising Aviation High School; John Goglia, Chairman, Aerospace Maintenance Council.
Top Overall
Rising Aviation High School
Category Winners
Military Category
First Place: United States Army – 128th Aviation Brigade – Team Blackhawk
Commercial Category
First Place: Horizon Air – Team 1
School Category
First Place: Rising Aviation High School
Professionalism Awards
The Competition also recognizes the teamwork and professionalism that define the aviation maintenance community.
AMC Peer Team Award (determined by team vote): Team #19 Putnam City Aviation Academy
AMC Professionalism Award (determined by judge vote)
Professional: Hayden Libhart – Team #8 United States Army – 128th Aviation Brigade – Team Blackhawk
Student: Garret Moore – Team #14 Rising Aviation High School
Scholarship
The Competition also celebrated the next generation of aviation maintenance professionals through the Phoebe Omlie Scholarship, awarded annually to support students pursuing careers in aviation maintenance.
Provided by AMC ($1,000): Jacqueline Venters – Idaho State University
Event Awards
- Av-DEC Antenna Gasket Installation:
Top Professional Team: United States Army - 128th Aviation Brigade - Team Blackhawk
Top School Team: Rising Aviation High School - FedEx Express Safety Wiring:
Top Professional Team: United States Army - 128th Aviation Brigade - Team Blackhawk
Top School Team: Rising Aviation High School - Moeller Aerospace Click-Loc Challenge: We Won’t Back Off:
Top Professional Team: United States Army - 128th Aviation Brigade - Team Blackhawk
Top School Team: Rising Aviation High School - MOHR Electrical Wire Harness Testing:
Top Professional Team: Horizon Air – Team 1
Top School Team: The Mischeifs - Snap-on Precision Torque Application:
Top Professional Team: Horizon Air – Team 1
Top School Team: Utah State University - USA Borescopes Borescope Inspection:
Top Professional Team: United States Army - 128th Aviation Brigade - Team Blackhawk
Top School Team: Rising Aviation High School - Southwest Airlines Thrust Reverser Troubleshooting:
Top Professional Team: United States Army - 128th Aviation Brigade - Team Blackhawk
Top School Team: Rising Aviation High School - Aviation Technician Education Council & Choose Aerospace General Maintenance Challenge:
Top Professional Team: Horizon Air – Team 1
Top School Team: Rising Aviation High School - Southwest Airlines Tire and Wheel Inspection:
Top Professional Team: United States Army - 128th Aviation Brigade - Team Blackhawk
Top School Team: Rising Aviation High School
Congratulations to all teams who participated in this year’s Competition, and thank you to the sponsors, judges, and volunteers who helped make another successful event at VERTICON possible.
While teams celebrate their achievements at The Competition @ VERTICON, the council is finalizing preparations for The Competition at MRO Americas in Orlando next month. There's still time to get involved, e-mail tarra.ruttman@amccompetition.com to see how.
Don't miss out for 2027! Planning for next year's competition series is already underway, view the prospectus below to see how you can get involved.