From left to right: Camrynn Brass, Rachel Gibson and Jak Gibb are grade 12 students at Carlton Comprehensive High School. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Honing skills

Skilled Prince Albert students punch tickets to Nationals

Apr 5, 2025 | 11:00 AM

A number of high school students from Prince Albert and surrounding area have demonstrated they have some serious skills.

In total, six grade 11 and grade 12 students from Carlton Comprehensive and St. Mary have qualified for next month’s national Skills Canada competition in Regina. There are also two gold medal winners from Birch Hills High School.

The provincial championship was held last month and Rachel Gibson was awarded a gold medal for photography.

“It meant so much to me because I have some confidence issues, so going in I was very nervous and then when I heard that I got first place, it made me feel more confident and I can pursue this as a career later in life and people can see what I’ve been working towards for three years,” she said.

Rachel Gibson will graduate in June and hopes to pursue a career that allows her to use her artistic talents. (Facebook)

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For the competition, Gibson was tasked with taking 15 photographs throughout the day and included people, events, and even a secret object. Noting her passion for anything artistic, she discovered her love for photography while in grade 8. Gibson explained she then was able to develop her skill in grade 10 under the tutelage of Danelle Van Steelandt.

“She saw that I had something in me, so I competed in grade ten at Skills and then continued to compete and now it finally paid off.”

Jak Gibb received a gold medal for precision machining.

“I’ve always had fun doing machining and it’s always been just kind of fun thing to do in high school and I’ve always enjoyed it,” he said.

Gibb’s passion for the skill was developed at Carlton, where he noted they have a really good machine shop. Going forward, he plans to attend the University of Saskatchewan.

Camrynn Brass received a gold medal for aesthetics and demonstrated both a pedicure and a manicure with nail art.

“I did a lot of work, a lot of practice, and when it paid off when I got first, I was really, really excited.”

In addition to practicing on her own nails, Brass acknowledged she also runs a sort of small business.

“I just do my friend’s nails, so I’m thinking I can get like a certificate and keep doing that as a little side gig.”

While only the gold medal winners get to go to Nationals, there were a number of other medal winners from Carlton including Abdul Daido (2nd carpentry); Hudson Johnson (3rd electrical installations), Phillip Ebende (2nd video production), Brooke Anderson (2nd video) and Max Pahtayken (silver beading/.indigenous arts).

St. Mary students Teagan Olver and Prairie Constant. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

From St. Mary, there were also three gold medal winners in Teagan Olver, Quinn Nelson and Prairie Constant.

Olver’s achievement came in the job skills demonstration and she talked about sewing and what careers could come from the skill.

“I think I might want to be a teacher and a sewing teacher would be pretty cool,” she told paNOW.

There were three people in Olver’s group, including her sister Petra, who she narrowly beat out.

“I thought for sure she was going to win. but she got second.”

Prairie Constant won a gold medal for indigenous ribbon skirt making and explained that at the age of 9 she was taught by her mom how to do it.

“She made me do my first ribbon skirt out of pink fabric and I always enjoyed making ribbon skirts,” she said.

Noting she’s probably made about five ribbon skirts, Constant explained her family was very proud of her achievement. She’s also not ruling out the idea of becoming a teacher herself.

“I haven’t thought much about doing that, but it sounds like a good idea to share my skills with others.”

Mya Carriere and Marissa Babbings attend school in Birch Hills and are also headed to Nationals. (Facebook)

The other gold medal winners from St Mary was Quinn Nelson (beading/Indig. arts). Other winners from the Prince Albert area were Birch Hills High School Students Mya Carriere and Marissa Babbings, who received the top prizes for baking and cooking.

SCNC is the only national, multi-trade and technology competition for students and apprentices in the country. Each year, more than 500 of Canada’s best in skilled trades and technologies come to SCNC to compete in over 40 skilled trade and technology competitions. A full list of this year’s provincial winners, can be found here.

The nationals competition runs May 29 and 30 at the Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) District.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Blue Sky: @nigelmaxwell.bsky.social