A Berks County native has cemented his place in SkillsUSA history with a rare back-to-back national win in masonry.
Sam Berryman, a 2025 graduate of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and a 2023 graduate of Brandywine Heights High School and Berks Career & Technology Center, earned his second consecutive gold medal at the 2025 SkillsUSA Championships held June 23–27 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Berryman is now only the second student in the country since 2004 to medal in both the high school and post-secondary divisions of the masonry competition. He is also the only Pennsylvanian to ever win two national gold medals in the category.
The national competition tested participants on their ability to meet industry standards by constructing a composite brick and block project within a six-hour timeframe, along with a written exam. Judging focused on the accuracy and execution of common masonry construction details.
This year’s event brought together more than 6,500 students from across the country, competing in 130 skilled trade and leadership areas. Berryman’s win also marks the second national gold medal for the masonry program at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
His accomplishments build on an already distinguished record. Berryman earned a silver medal at the national competition in 2022 and a bronze in 2023. He also secured four consecutive SkillsUSA Pennsylvania state titles from 2022 to 2025 and won three regional Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 Junior titles in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Berryman is currently employed as a mason with the Witmer Group in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania.