Our elementary and secondary students had a strong showing at Provincial Skilled Trades competition.
The Avon Maitland District School Board sent the largest group of Skills Ontario competitors in recent history to the Toronto Congress Centre from May 1-3, 2017. 14 grade 7&8 students and 15 secondary students from Stratford Northwestern along with 12 grade 7&8 students from Mitchell District High School hammered, cut, designed and demonstrated not only their technical skills but also their passion for learning, creating and problem-solving. These dedicated technological education students competed for gold, silver, and bronze medals, as well as monetary awards and job offers for select contests.
The Skills Ontario Competition is the largest skilled trades and technologies competition in Canada featuring 68 skilled trades and technologies contests, and over 2,400 competitors from elementary schools, high schools and colleges across Ontario. Attendance and participation is supported locally through the AMDSB Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program.
We are proud of all the students that participated in the Skills Ontario qualifying and provincial competition. They were great ambassadors of our Board and champions for their individual schools. This, of course, would not be possible without the mentors at each school as they have been guiding students in preparation for this event for months.
“Sincere thanks to everyone for the continued support and promotion of Tech Ed and the skilled trades as an important and rewarding career,” said Lifelong Learning Administrator and Pathways Coordinator Jeff Piro. “Our annual results at Skills Ontario are an indication of the great work being done in our schools in partnership with the community.”
“The entire competition is very impressive, it was significantly bigger than I was expecting. It was good to see that there are opportunities for education in so many mainstream and niche trades.”
Nick Bohner, Gold medal – Skilled Trades Entrepreneurship, Stratford Northwestern Secondary School
“It was great to be able to present my business ideas and receive feedback on them. The presentation part of the competition was very relaxed and easy to participate in. The Skilled trades entrepreneurship competition was a great experience and I am glad to have shared it with others who have the same interest in Business that I have.”
Nick Bohner, Gold medal – Skilled Trades Entrepreneurship, Stratford Northwestern Secondary School
“The day was an amazing opportunity and I learned so many new things.” Sydney Smith, Emily Haefling, VEX IQ Crossover Grade 7&8 competitor, Mitchell District High School Intermediate.
“I had a real life experience of thinking on my feet.” Emily Haefling, VEX IQ Crossover Grade 7&8 competitor, Mitchell District High School Intermediate.
“As a grade 11 student, Ethan did an amazing job to win the bronze in Mechanical CAD. He worked hard to prepare for this year and his first comment after the ceremony was ‘I have 12 months to turn this into a gold'”.
Keith Edwards, Teacher-Mentor, Stratford Northwestern Secondary School
Medal Winners
Gold Medal
- Nick Bohner, Skilled Trades Entrepreneurship, Stratford Northwestern SS
(Teacher Rob Collings with student Nick Bohner)
Bronze Medal
- Ethan Hopper, Mechanical CAD, Stratford Northwestern SS
- Alix Arand, Character Animation – Gr. 7&8 (Team of 4), Stratford Northwestern PS
- Bradey Boyles-Keating, Character Animation – Gr. 7&8 (Team of 4), Stratford Northwestern PS
- Ashley Gojmerac, Character Animation – Gr. 7&8 (Team of 4), Stratford Northwestern PS
- Matthew Smith, Character Animation – Gr. 7&8 (Team of 4), Stratford Northwestern PS
- Noelle McLellan, TV/Video Production -Gr. 7&8 (Team of 2), Stratford Northwestern PS
- Elizabeth Schaeffer, TV/Video Production -Gr. 7&8 (Team of 2), Stratford Northwestern PS
AMDSB is extremely proud of all 2017 Skills Ontario competitors and medal winners!
What is the Skills Ontario Competition?
The Skills Ontario Competition is the largest skilled trades and technologies competition in Canada. Over the three-day event, the lives of many young competitors and visitors are positively changed forever – from gaining new self-confidence by pushing their skills to a higher level, to winning a gold, silver, or bronze medal, or simply meeting a new mentor and discovering new career opportunities that they didn’t know existed. The Skills Ontario Competition represents the work that Skills Ontario does in communities across Ontario year round by getting young Ontarians involved in career exploration conferences, workshops, demonstrations – and of course the 68 unique contests – all under one roof! The Skills Ontario Competition is where potential is unlocked and Ontario’s future workforce prepares for tomorrow.
Quick Skills Ontario Technological Skills Competition Facts:
• More than 30,000 students, spectators, and other guests from all over the province visited this year’s Skills Ontario Competition.
• Skills Ontario partners provide $10 million of in-kind support for the materials needed to host the over 2,400 competitors.
Associated Links:
• Skills Ontario
• Skills Ontario Video
(Featured image at the top: AMDSB Mitchell District High School 2017 Skills Ontario VEX IQ Crossover Grade 7&8 Team. Left to right: Malia Glanville, Emily Haefling, Haley Small, Sydney Smith. 5th place in Ontario)