Hardware was the word of the day at North Battleford Comprehensive High School, as four students returned from the provincial Skills Canada competition bearing medals.
The 13th annual Saskatchewan Skills Competition, held in Moose Jaw and Regina, April 14 and 15, had the best and brightest youths from across the province put to the test in a number of trade and technology areas, from computer animation to plumbing.
Grade 11 student Brooke Heimlich took home bronze in the Aesthetics competition, after performing a full manicure and pedicure, as well as fantasy make-up and an outfit on a model.
"This was my first competition and I was shaking, I was so nervous," said Brooke.
She explained she enrolled in cosmetology because she was interested in becoming a hairdresser. Unfortunately, an accident has altered her career path.
"I fractured my back snowboarding," said Brooke, who will instead pursue post-secondary education with the intent of becoming a special needs teacher.
Grade 10 student Taylor Steinacher won bronze in the Baking competition, after making cream puffs, éclairs, cookies and pie, decorating a cake and baking five-strand braided bread and buns in six hours.
"I had to make my cream puffs three times," said Taylor of the competition.
Taylor enrolled in commercial cooking because she's always enjoyed baking, having baked with her grandmother from a young age.
"I like to make cakes," she said, adding she hopes to open her own specialty cake shop.
Grade 12 student Spencer Smith brought home silver in the Architectural Technology and Design competition, after his computer-aided design and drafting skills were put to the test. Spencer had six and a half hours to make necessary changes to a provided floor plan, create an elevation view of two walls and a cross-sectional view of a staircase.
"I just like the freedom of being able to build your own homes and design floor plans and be creative," said Spencer, adding his father introduced him to the field while completing renovations on their home.
Spencer said he also developed his architectural skills on the computer game SIMS. "I would just design houses then destroy them - I never actually played the game," he said.
Spencer plans to work for year in the construction industry after graduation then enrol in the architecture program at the University of Saskatchewan.
Grade 12 student Jarett Prescesky took home bronze in Welding, after completing a six hour project that included all the welds in the curriculum.
"I've just been around the farm all my life, I've always been interested in mechanics," said Jarett.
Jarett comes from a long line of mechanically-inclined people: his great-grandfather was a blacksmith, his grandfather a welder and mechanic, his uncle is a welder and father a mechanic.
When Jarett was only 15, he restored a horse trailer.
Although most would be proud to have such a high ranking in the province, the bronze medal is somewhat of a disappointment to Jarett, who took home the gold last year and went on to place eighth in the national competition.
"I put the base plate on upside down," said Jarett, explaining although he realized his mistake right away, there wasn't enough time to re-do the project.
However, in what many would call the most important competition - the one for employment - Jarett has proved himself a winner. Months away from graduation, the accomplished youth has already been snatched up by DyMark Industries, an award-winning company in the supply and installation of structural steel, based in Saskatoon.
Gerald Nickel, NBCHS welding instructor, said he's proud of Jarett and knows he'll do well in the industry.
"We're always striving to get the kids to compete," said Nickel, who accompanied the students to the competition, alone with instructors James Halushka, Mike Humenny, Koraley Anderson and Ken Waddell.
"The nice thing is you get to talk to all the other instructors across the province," said Nickel. "You come back with a lot of ideas."
