February 23, 2026 — For the first time in SkillsUSA Georgia history, a girl has been crowned State Champion for the HVAC competition.
Question: Where did the history-making champion learn her skills?
Answer: The Cobb Innovation and Technology Academy (CITA), which provides Cobb students with hands-on learning experiences and real-world career opportunities through district, post-secondary, and industry partnerships, including collaborations with Wellstar and NAPA.
Ariela, a Junior at CITA, earned the state title at the Georgia World Congress Center after hours of showcasing her HVAC skills.
"I define winning as motivational. Knowing this is just the beginning to something incredible is truly inspiring, and personally, this win means more than placing 1st. I want my achievement to be an inspiration to other young ladies and the youth in general that determination and passion are the foundations to becoming a champion," said Ariela.
Ariela’s state title marked a historic moment for both SkillsUSA Georgia and CITA. However, her achievement wasn’t the only milestone for the school — this year also marked the first time CITA sent an all-girl team to compete at the state competition.
Ariela competed in HVAC, Jenny in T-shirt design, and Deepa in Job Skill Demo A.
"I just knew that I had something special this year, really special. I'm not sure if this will ever happen again, but there are a lot of firsts for us. I'm just super proud of these girls," said CITA's HVAC teacher, John Martin.
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"I think it's super cool for us women because these are trades typically dominated by males and you rarely see females, so I think it's great," said Jenny.
During the three-day event in downtown Atlanta, job recruiters often approached the CITA educator to ask about his students competing, as they saw firsthand how CITA and Cobb Schools have prepared them for life after graduation.
"I want this to be a message to young girls and to the youth overall because I know that in these male-dominated trades it can be hard being a girl, it's intimidating. But if you love what you do, there's no reason you can't do it. If you work hard enough, nothing is impossible," added the CITA state champion.
Don't miss the opportunity to learn more about all that CITA offers by clicking HERE for more information.
