Ashley Feenstra and Twyla Lalonde, both in grade 11, were selected to represent RDHS at the annual skilled trades competition pitting 250 high school students against each other at the St. Lawrence College Cornwall Campus. The competition gives each category a directive or set of plans at the competition and the students are given a set amount of time to complete the project.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are some of the best and brightest I have in my class,\u201d said Rob Porteous, the girls\u2019 shop teacher. \u201cThey can read plans and have an eye for detail. I knew they would be good candidates.<\/p>\n
And the girls didn\u2019t disappoint.<\/p>\n
Lalonde, competing in the cabinetry category, was looking forward to finding a spot on the podium after not placing in last year\u2019s events, so taking home the bronze was exciting.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t expecting to place, but I definitely wanted to,\u201d said Lalonde.<\/p>\n
Feenstra who placed second in the individual carpentry category was fairly confident she could pull off a win.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether it was like third, second or first, I just wanted to place.\u201d<\/p>\n
RDHS principal Stacey McCready said the school\u2019s big push is \u201creal world learning,\u201d and the technology courses and the success of the students at the SKLZ competition are a demonstration of that.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo go this competition and place, it\u2019s very exciting,\u201d said McCready. \u201cI\u2019m incredibly proud.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t surprised at all,\u201d said Porteous. \u201cI knew they would represent our school well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though Feenstra and Lalonde aren\u2019t sold on a career in carpentry both are continuing to pursue the trades in their senior year, largely thanks to Mr. Porteous.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never really pictured myself doing anything revolving around carpentry,\u201d said Lalonde. \u201cBut taking his class really opened up options for me.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Two Rockland District High School (RDHS) students showed off their woodworking Talents at the Eastern Ontario SKLZ Competition, bringing home silver and bronze medals in their respective categories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":29452,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education"],"acf":[],"featured_media_global":[],"yoast_head":"\n