Submitted By Natalie Woehl and Allie Kucman, FEO, March 28, 2024, VOL. 5 ISSUE 15
The DSBN Skills competition, which took place on February 28th, 2024, is an annual technology-focused competition that is comprised of 30 challenges for students from the Niagara Region to compete in. These challenges cover a variety of skill demonstrations in areas such as baking, electrical installations, floristry, construction, robotics, and graphic design. Over 350 students from 16 secondary schools competed. Many participants are enrolled in the DSBN’s Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program and the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) which encourages student exploration into technology-based careers. Students reveal their strengths to a panel of renowned industry professionals for an opportunity to advance to the Ontario Skills Competition (OSC).
Greater Fort Erie Secondary School’s students captured the attention of these industry professionals by excelling in numerous divisions of competition. Gold Skills Challenge winners were McKenna Thomas for Graphic Design Presentation, Aiden Nigro for both Electrical Installations and Precision Machining, Gabrielle Cudmore for Prepared Speech, and Chris Brunning for Welding. Team Silver medalists include Marla Irwin and Virginia Darin for 2D Character Animation, Hailee Foster and Allie Kucman for TV Video Production, as well as Autumn Wartman for Job Skill Demonstration. GFESS Bronze medalists include Suzanna Day for Baking, Harper James for Job Skill Demonstration, Julianna Marcel for Prepared Speech, Michael Bielich for Welding, and the dynamic team of Addison Arbic and Grace Koscak for TV Video Production.
Because of the exemplary level of excellence from these GFESS students, many will move on to the Regional and Skills Ontario Competitions. Students competing at the Regional Competitions include teammates Hailee Foster and Allie Kucman, Addison Arbic and Grace Koscak, and in solo competitions are Chris Brunning and Cole Guignard (representing Michael Bielich) for Welding. Top-ranking students will move on to the Skills Ontario Competition.
On May 6th and 7th, Aiden Nigro, McKenna Thomas, and Gabrielle Cudmore travel to the Toronto Congress Centre to also compete at the Skills Ontario Competition where they will contend for spots at the Skills Canada National Competition in Quebec City.
These competitions showcase the level of excellence that students at Greater Fort Erie Secondary School attain through their classroom and extracurricular activities. Student McKenna Thomas remarks that “Competing in these competitions and interacting with industry professionals has helped me grow confidence in both my skills and myself.” Participation in Ontario Skills opens pathways to future career opportunities and allows students to experience real-world work.
