Michael was one of 11 students from the Central County Occupational Center, part of the Metropolitan Education District, entered in the competition. He'll go on to represent CCOC at the National SkillsUSA-VICA competition in Kansas City in June. SkillsUSA is a national organization for students in trade, technical, industrial and health career-education programs.

From the time he was a young boy, Michael has delighted in taking things apart and putting them back together.

"I like troubleshooting," he says. "There's nothing better than taking something that's not working and making it work."

Michael got to practice his troubleshooting skills at the state competition, where he also had to take a written test and assemble a simulated air-conditioning unit.

In addition to a gold medal, Michael also won a full $21,850 scholarship to WyoTech in Fremont. Once he's completed the 15-month program there, he'll be fully certified in air-conditioning repair and maintenance.

Although he'll probably work for someone else at first, Michael says he eventually wants to start his own business.

Michael's instructor at the CCOC, John Tawney, says it's Michael's sense of purpose that sets him apart from other students.

"He knows what he wants to do in life, and he's going for it," Tawney says. "He's putting every effort into doing the best he can."

In Kansas City, Michael will be competing with students from all 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

"He's got his work cut out for him, but he's got a chance to do really well," Tawney says. "Michael's really pushed himself."

If his students aren't pushing themselves, Tawney will give them a shove to make sure they're working up to their full potential.

"If someone says the word 'can't,' that student will stay here until he does the thing he said he couldn't do," says the teacher. "I put ridiculous demands on my students, and I expect them to make every effort to meet them."

Tawney says these demands are necessary to ensure that his students learn life skills as well as job skills.

"They have to be able to work by themselves and with customers," he adds. "They have to be responsible enough to climb up on the roof and work with air-conditioning equipment. When they get out of here, they're job-ready."

Tawney is confident that Michael will be job-ready by the time he graduates.

"It's unusual for a high school student to make a lifelong decision about his career at his age," says the teacher. "That's what makes him unique.