The Halton District School Board received a prestigious award for top combined marks of all its participating students from the 2011 Ontario Skills Competition, which were held earlier this month at RIM Park in Waterloo. But the Board’s success didn’t stop there.

Secondary students brought home five gold, three silver and three bronze medals from Ontario Skills Competition, considered to be the largest skilled trades competition in Canada. These students went through in-school competitions and the Halton Skills Competition, then qualifying competitions at Niagara College, before placing at the Ontario Skills Competition in early May. These competitions represented many hours of practicing by students and their coaches. Four of the five gold medal winners will be going to Quebec City to the Canadian Skills Competition from May 30-June 4, 2011. 

Acton High School’s Jonathan VanOosten won the “Award of Excellence” and a $1,500 scholarship for receiving the top mark of all students who competed at the Ontario Skills Competition. VanOosten was required to demonstrate, through practical and theoretical application, his skills and knowledge in the field of architectural design and drafting using the medium of computer-aided drafting. VanOosten – who will be heading to the Canadian Skills Competition – competed for a total of six hours against a field of 23 competitors from across the province.

“We are very proud of the successes of our Halton District School Board students at the Ontario Skills Competition in Waterloo this year,” says Barb Finan, the Board’s OYAP and Pathways Facilitator. “All students who represented us, from both the elementary and secondary level, did an amazing job and trained for many hours in order to prepare for their events. It was certainly a great learning experience.”

At this year’s Ontario Skills Competition, more than 1,800 competitors participated in 63 skilled trade areas for elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels. The awards and closing ceremony were held on May 4 at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex, in Waterloo.

To view results, click here.