Siegel High Students Shine at 2025 MOS Tennessee State Championship with Industry-Recognized Certifications

The energy inside Siegel High School’s business classrooms has been nothing short of electric this spring, as a group of determined students translated months of hard work and digital mastery into a truly exceptional showing at the 2025 Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Tennessee State Championship Spring Qualifier. For a public school in the heart of Tennessee, these results are more than just a tally of points—they’re proof of a vibrant business and technology pathway, and a demonstration of how digital certification programs can redefine students’ academic and career trajectories.

Celebrating a State Champion: Aiden Golson’s Story​

The spotlight shines brightest on Siegel freshman Aiden Golson, who clinched first place in the Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 Apps) certification category. Golson’s achievement, officially recognized by Certiport—the leading provider of performance-based certification exams—earns him the title of Tennessee State Champion for Microsoft Word. This victory is not just an academic feather in his cap: he now heads to the 2025 Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, this June. There, he’ll be Tennessee’s flagbearer, competing against the best and brightest from around the country.
What sets Golson’s performance apart is its versatility. He didn’t just win the Word championship: he finished second in Microsoft PowerPoint (Office 2019), ninth in Microsoft Word (Office 2019), and tenth in Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft 365 Apps). This sweep across both cloud-based and locally installed versions of Microsoft Office highlights not just technical proficiency, but an adaptability to the nuances of different software environments—a skill set that employers are increasingly seeking in the modern workforce.

Siegel’s Business Department Leads by Example​

While Golson’s achievement is the headline, Siegel High’s success is a testament to a thriving business department that, under the guidance of teacher Emily Gulledge, has fostered results across the board. Several students earned top-10 placements in one of the most competitive business-technology skills contests in Tennessee. Among standouts:

• Kathryn Hobbs: 3rd Place – Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft 365 Apps)
• Alexandra Mueller: 2nd Place – Microsoft Word (Microsoft 365 Apps); 5th Place – Microsoft PowerPoint (Office 2019); 7th Place – Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft 365 Apps)
• John Gaines: 7th Place – Microsoft PowerPoint (Office 2019); 8th Place – Microsoft PowerPoint (Microsoft 365 Apps)
• Valeria Flores: 8th Place – Microsoft PowerPoint (Office 2019)

Emily Gulledge notes, “We’ve seen amazing results from the Microsoft Office Specialist program at Siegel High School as students learn and validate key workforce skills. The national championship motivates them to go even further, and we’re incredibly proud of Aiden and all our students who earned top rankings in Tennessee.”

Microsoft Office Specialist: Why It Matters​

In a rapidly digitizing world, the ability to fluently navigate Microsoft Office applications isn’t just a classroom requirement—it’s an essential workforce skill. The Microsoft Office Specialist certification, delivered through Certiport, provides validation that a student can use Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to professional standards. According to Certiport and several education technology research firms, students who achieve MOS certifications consistently demonstrate stronger problem-solving skills, higher job placement rates, and greater confidence as they enter postsecondary education or the workplace.

A National Movement, Amplified Locally​

The MOS U.S. National Championship, detailed at moschampionship.certiport.com/us, is part of an annual series of competitions designed to recognize the country’s top Microsoft Office power users. Nationwide, only a small percentage of test-takers qualify for the finals—making Siegel High School’s representation all the more significant and newsworthy.
The championship’s format demands both speed and accuracy, with students completing complex projects under exam conditions. Only those who finish with near-perfect scores and within tight time limits can reach the podium, placing Siegel’s students among a national elite.

The Value of Certification: Skills That Matter​

Employers across industries—from finance and legal to marketing, healthcare, and beyond—demand strong digital skills, particularly in Microsoft Office. Data from Burning Glass Technologies, an analytics firm specializing in career trends, finds Microsoft Office proficiency to be the third-most requested software skill in U.S. job postings across all industries.
Achieving MOS certification is about more than memorizing features. The exam’s hands-on format assesses real-world capability; competitors aren’t just clicking through menus, they’re solving scenario-based problems, formatting documents to professional standards, automating tasks, and demonstrating advanced data-analysis skills in Excel or multimedia integration in PowerPoint.
For high school students, this means building both technical and soft skills—like time management, communication, and critical thinking. For Siegel’s business pathway, the outcome is a set of graduates uniquely prepared for postsecondary education and early career success.

Siegel High’s Business Pathway: Building Tomorrow’s Workforce​

Siegel’s business education program reflects a broader trend in U.S. schools, where career-technical education (CTE) pathways are expanding to meet labor-market demand. Tennessee, in particular, has rolled out initiatives over the past decade to encourage early credentialing in tech skills, aiming to bridge the much-discussed “skills gap.”
The pathway at Siegel goes beyond just earning certificates. Classroom instruction blends business fundamentals, workplace professionalism, and technology integration. Students have opportunities to join industry organizations, participate in competitions (like the MOS State Championship), and gain hands-on experience with business applications.
Business educators, including Gulledge, argue that this holistic approach produces “career-ready” graduates, not just test-takers. And with tangible results in the form of state and national rankings, the model is clearly working.

Critical Analysis: The Strengths and The Caveats​

Standout Strengths​

1. Real-World Readiness​

The most important benefit of MOS certification is its alignment with workplace requirements. While advanced coding or STEM credentials receive substantial attention, research backs the real-world value of productivity software mastery. In many office settings, productivity is bottlenecked not by lack of ideas, but by inefficient digital workflows. MOS certification directly addresses this deficiency.

2. Quantifiable Achievements​

Unlike more subjective measures of student accomplishment, MOS exam results are concrete and comparable: a top 1% finisher in Tennessee or nationwide can point to a measurable and independently verified skill. Employers and colleges respect this kind of credential, especially as more organizations move toward skills-based hiring models.

3. Motivational Impact​

The championship model, and Siegel’s success in it, provides a tangible motivator—students aren’t just earning points for a grade, but for prestige and the chance to represent their state at a high-profile national event.

4. Cross-Platform Adaptability​

Siegel’s results across both Office 365 (cloud-based) and Office 2019 (on-premises) reflect demand-side realities. Many corporations operate hybrid software environments. Certification across versions means that students aren’t siloed into a single workflow, increasing their value as flexible, capable contributors.

Risks and Limitations​

1. Overemphasis on Certification​

While certifications are highly valued, some critics caution against overemphasis. There is a risk that certification drives curriculum at the expense of creativity or higher-order business strategy skills. The best programs—like Siegel’s—appear to balance certification prep with broader business literacy, but not all schools are as successful in this integration.

2. Accessibility and Equity​

The MOS pathway, like many tech-forward initiatives, can run up against issues of equity. Urban and well-funded suburban schools are often able to provide exam fees, software, and instructor training. Some rural or under-resourced districts may struggle to keep up, potentially widening opportunity gaps.
Tennessee has implemented some support measures, but disparities remain. Advocates suggest that broader funding and public-private partnership programs could help level the playing field, ensuring that all students in the state, regardless of district, have a shot at becoming certified.

3. Keeping Pace with Software Updates​

Microsoft routinely rolls out updates to its Office suite—sometimes altering features or workflow enough to impact certification exams. Schools must remain agile, updating curriculum and ensuring training is aligned with the latest version of both the software and the exam objectives. Without ongoing support, schools could inadvertently prepare students for outdated tests.

Verifying Exam Rigor and Industry Value​

According to Certiport, the MOS exams are updated regularly in collaboration with Microsoft, and performance statistics published annually show that high scorers demonstrate both faster completion times and higher accuracy compared to non-certified candidates in workplace settings. However, as with any certification ecosystem, continuous improvement is needed to ensure relevance and rigor as productivity software evolves and as workplace expectations shift.

The Broader Impact: Inspiring Digital Literacy Across Tennessee​

Siegel’s story is emblematic of a statewide—and indeed, nationwide—movement toward “credentialed learning.” With digital literacy now viewed as a core graduation competency in many districts, schools like Siegel High are at the forefront of a quiet revolution in business and technology education.
The impact goes beyond individual achievement. When students succeed at events like the MOS Tennessee State Championship, they become peer leaders, inspiring classmates and lowerclassmen to pursue similar goals. Teachers, in turn, are able to advocate for expanded course offerings, updated equipment, and stronger community partnerships.
Statistically, students who earn MOS certifications report greater confidence in their digital skills and a higher perceived readiness for both college and careers, backed by various educator and student surveys published by Certiport and validated in independent longitudinal studies.

Looking Ahead: The National Stage​

Aiden Golson and his fellow Siegel High School competitors now shift their focus to the U.S. National Championship in Texas. Over three days, they will face top finishers from all 50 states—students who, like them, have developed advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, honed their test-taking nerves, and are fluent in the kind of digital skills that drive the modern global economy.
For parents, educators, and policymakers watching from Tennessee and beyond, Siegel’s story serves as a template and a call to action. As the fields of business, education, and technology become ever more interconnected, equipping students with proven, industry-recognized credentials is more than an academic exercise—it’s an investment in the future workforce.

Practical Guidance for Students and Parents​

Those interested in following in Siegel's footsteps can take several practical steps:

• Explore Your School’s Offerings: Most high schools now offer some form of business technology or computer applications pathway. Inquire about MOS or similar certification programs.
• Practice Early and Often: Microsoft offers free training resources, and Certiport provides practice exams that mirror the format of the real tests.
• Talk to Your Teachers: Business instructors can offer insights into competitions, best study materials, and tips for excelling in certification exams.
• Look for Local and Statewide Competitions: Even if your school doesn’t participate in the MOS program, there may be parallel digital skills competitions at local or state levels.

Parents, meanwhile, can advocate for robust technology and business programming, ensure their students have access to updated computers and software, and encourage participation in both certification efforts and broader business clubs or organizations.

Conclusion: More Than a Trophy​

The headlines singing the praises of Siegel High’s MOS State Championship success tell part of the story—but the real impact is far broader. As the boundaries between technology fluency and employability tighten, schools like Siegel are pioneering approaches that prioritize workforce readiness, digital confidence, and achievement that colleges and employers respect.
As Aiden Golson prepares to represent Tennessee on the national stage, his journey embodies the best of what modern business education can achieve: practical skills, credentialed accomplishments, and the inspiration to reach for even greater heights—all ensuring that today’s students are ready to navigate, and ultimately shape, the workplaces of tomorrow.

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Source: Rutherford Source Siegel High School Business Students Win at State Competition