(Waterloo) - Students with the Upper Canada District School Board team brought home four medals from this week’s Ontario Technological Skills Competition in Waterloo.
Peyton Campbell, a grade 10 student at Gananoque Secondary School, won gold in restaurant services during the skilled trades competition, which took place from Monday to Wednesday at RIM Park. Allison Hurley, a grade 11 student at Thousand Islands Secondary School, took gold in baking. Chris Argue and Michael Lynch, grade 12 students at Almonte and District High School, won gold in TV and video production, while Jeremy Nichols, a grade 11 student at Gananoque Secondary School, took silver in job skills demonstration.
Angela Grandy, program resource teacher for student destinations, said she was ecstatic with the team’s success.
“I’m very excited,” she said. “There’s a tremendous amount of work that goes into these competitions. The kids train for it almost like a sporting event. To get to this level and win a medal is an incredible feat.”
Argue, Lynch, and Hurley will move on to the Canadian Skills Competition. The national event will be held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island from May 20-22. While Campbell did win gold, her event is only designated for national competition every two years so she will not move on.
A humble Hurley said she was surprised at her victory.
“It still hasn’t hit me yet that I’m the best in the province,” said Hurley. “I really wasn’t expecting to get gold. It felt amazing just to be recognized and to have an opportunity to compete. It really gives you a good idea of what the industry is like and is one more step towards finding a career.”
Hurley, who plans on a career as a pastry chef, was challenged to create a variety of pastries for people in the industry to judge. During her testing at the competition, she made three types of dinner rolls and a loaf of bread, iced and decorated a cake, made three types of choux pastry, and created a flan.
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For more information, please call:
Angela Grandy
Program Resource Teacher
Student Destinations/OYAP Coordinator
Upper Canada District School Board
613-330-6721