(Pictured above: A team of grade 10 students from Almonte and District High School won gold in the robotics competition on the weekend at the Canadian Skills Competition in Waterloo. Pictured, left to right, are: Adrian Schutt, team member; Sean Romano, team member; Wayne Thompson, teacher; Ben Church, team member; and Derek Mavis, team member. Photo by Jacob Joron) 

(Pictured at right: Carleton Place High School student Katherine MacGregor took first place in prepared speech at the Canadian Skills Competition in Waterloo.)

(Waterloo) – Students with the Upper Canada District School Board won two gold medals May 20-23 at the Canadian Skills Competition in Waterloo.

The Almonte and District High School Robotics Team took top spot in robotics at the prestigious competition, held at RIM Park and Manulife Financial Sportsplex in Waterloo.  Carleton Place High School student Katherine MacGregor won gold in the prepared speech competition. Gananoque Secondary School student Peyton Campbell won silver in restaurant service.

“We were just ecstatic about it – absolutely overwhelmed,” said Jennifer Maclachlan, program resource teacher for student destinations who accompanied the students to Waterloo. “It is an amazing accomplishment for them to achieve a gold at the national level.

“This competition really opened their eyes to the possibilities out there for a career. This program was also a great exercise in character building. It taught them about perseverance and resilience – the kinds of skills you need in this competition and in life.”

The ADHS robotics team, comprised of grade 10 students Adrian Schutt, Sean Romano, Ben Church, and Derek Mavis bested the team from Manitoba to win gold. The competition required students to maneuver a robot, pick up pieces of PVC piping and manipulate them by putting them over a layout of steel rods.

MacGregor took top spot for her speech entitled  Skilled Trades and Technology Careers: Connections to Canada's Future.

The national results follow an amazing showing at the Ontario Technological Skills Competition, which took place last week in Waterloo. The ADHS robotics team, MacGregor, and Campbell all took golds, as well as Gananoque Secondary School student Jeremy Nichols, who won top spot in job skills demonstration.  Nichols was also awarded the top score in the province, logging a perfect score of 100 per cent in his competition. The accomplishment won him a cash prize of $1,500.

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For more information, please contact:

Alex MacDougall

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program Facilitator

Upper Canada District School Board

Telephone (613) 932-8360 ext. 4019

Fax (613) 932-8128

Cellular (613) 360-1738

E-mail  alex.macdougall@ucdsb.on.ca

Posted May 25, 2010