Vocational-technical students from around Maine brought home honors last week from the 43rd annual National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, Mo.

Students from Dexter, Bangor, Waterville and South Portland outperformed their competitors from across the country to earn gold, silver and bronze medals.

Some 5,000 students from throughout the United States who placed in their individual local and state competitions participated in the weeklong program, which included SkillsUSA, hands-on skill and leadership contests, according to Steve Spaulding, who teaches in the criminal justice program at Tri-County Technical Center in Dexter.

The SkillsUSA championship drew some 15,000 people from all over the country with students competing in 87 trade, technical and leadership fields.

Spaulding, who accompanied the four students who participated from his school, said the event brings teachers, students and industry together.

“It’s a spectacular challenge for secondary and post-secondary and technology programs,” Spaulding said Tuesday.

Sixteen students from United Technologies Center in Bangor competed, and three took home national honors, said Wayne Jackson, UTC plumbing and heating teacher who also is the school’s SkillsUSA adviser.

Ashley Nadeau earned a bronze medal for basic health care skills, and video product development team Jon Hyatt and Kevin Sennett took home silver medals for a commercial the two made for Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor.

Hyatt and Sennett also were awarded $10,000 scholarships to Boston University as part of the honor.

“It’s very hard to get a medal,” Jackson said. “For example, in the nurse’s assistance program [Nadeau] was competing against 42 other states.”

UTC has sent students to the national competition for the last 18 years, he said.

Dexter’s Spaulding was especially proud of his students – a team of students who didn’t win one of the three coveted awards but placed fourth in crime scene investigation and one who took second place, winning a silver medal in the criminal justice competition.

That student, Tommy Panceria of Guilford, said he was equally proud of his accomplishment. “I’m pretty happy with it,” he said. While he missed first place by about one point, Panceria wasn’t upset with the loss. He said the Texas girl who won first this year had been competing for four years.

Panceria attended the technical center last year and wants to continue his education to become a state trooper when he graduates next year from Piscataquis Community High School.

Other Maine medalists:

. Robert Daigle of Mid-Maine Technical Center of Waterville, bronze medal for First Aid-CPR.

. Devin Provencal, a postsecondary student at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland, a gold medal for plumbing.

. Charles Rackley, a postsecondary student at Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor, bronze medal in welding.

A team of Mike Woodbury, James Simonds and Chris Glidden of Tri-County Technical School did not receive a medal but took fourth place in crime scene investigation.