St. Charles College Students Claim First Place in Skills Ontario Qualifying Competitions 

 St. Charles College students Parker Tilbury, Kyle Nyereyemhuka and Brady VanDruenen all placed first in the Skills Ontario Qualifying Competition held at Canadore College on April 1, 2023. 

Parker took home gold in the Individual Carpentry competition while Kyle and Brady wrote, filmed, and produced an innovating short film on climate change which earned them the gold medal in the TV/Video Production category. 

“There were some requirements before heading to Canadore. We had to do a storyboard, a production brief, and a script. We came prepared, were dead set to win and we really wanted to move onto Toronto. Overall, we’re really proud of our efforts” said Brady VanDruenen, St. Charles College Student. 

“After two years of virtual competitions, it feels good to compete in person! We’re excited to meet the other students involved and excel at the Provincial level next month,” said Kyle Nyereyemhuka, St. Charles College Student. 

Teacher mentors Chris Kohut (Construction SHSM Teacher) and Christina Thompson (Digital Media SHSM Teacher) are very proud and excited to see their students compete at the next stage. 

“It was great watching Parker apply his skills and knowledge throughout the competition. Winning the gold in North Bay has made him even more focused on his goal to reach the podium in Toronto, and after that, maybe even the National competition. We’re very proud of his efforts so far and can’t wait to see what he accomplishes!” said Chris Kohut, Construction SHSM Teacher at St. Charles College. 

The students will next compete against the best in Ontario at the upcoming Skills Ontario Provincial Competitions. A total of 13 secondary students from St. Charles College and 2 students from Bishop Alexander Carter C.S.S will represent the Sudbury Catholic District School Board at the Toronto Congress Centre from May 1 –

3, 2023. Contests will include Carpentry, TV/Video Production, Graphic Design, Auto Service Technology and Photography. Participating students will have an opportunity to win medals, be awarded with scholarships and bursaries, and qualify for the National Skills Competition in Winnipeg, Manitoba.