Twenty students from the Estevan Comprehensive School travelled to Saskatoon for the Skills Canada provincial competition Friday.
Eleven of the students came home with medals. Five were gold medalists: Levi Stepp in architectural computer-assisted design and drafting (CADD); Dalton Schrader in welding; Jon Swirski in mechanical CADD; Ashley Tedford in beauty therapy; and Avery McNabb in hairstyling.
Silver medals were won by Morgan Lowenburg in architectural CADD, Jarius Block in cabinet making, Hunter Wallster in precision machining, Caitlin Graham in hairstyling and Tamika Bodnarek in hairstyling braiding.
The lone bronze medal was won by Kalen Stang in outdoor power, which involves small engines.
The other students who went to provincials were Rowan Pryor in mechanical CADD, Parker Lavoie in public speaking, Zill Patel in hairstyling braiding, Megan Wilson and Lenae Mehler in hairstyling bridal, Joseph Limin and Kailey Kowalchuk in photography, and Dann Pangan and Harvey Leal in television and video production.
Joyce Mack, who is the instructor for the hairstyling disciplines, was impressed with the efforts of all of the students. She pointed out that the school hasn’t had anybody in cabinet making for a long time, and they haven’t had someone do this well in welding for a long time, either.
The amount of work needed to prepare for provincials varies, depending on the coaches and the tests.
“They would have probably started after final exams for the first semester, and worked on it more heavily for the past few weeks.”
Nationals will be held in Halifax later this year. Mack said it’s not yet known which students will be competing at nationals.
This week’s edition of Southeast Lifestyles will have more on this story.
