A local high schooler and two Lakeland College students have brought home some hardware for the trophy room following the recent Skills Canada Competition.
Showing off their calibre on Team Alberta, in post-secondary carpentry, Tyler Bendfeld of Lakeland College won a silver. In aesthetics, Lakeland College’s Khyler Yockey brought home a bronze.
“Skills Canada was an unreal experience,” says Bendfeld. “It was an honour to represent Lakeland and to know that I can compete against people from all over Canada and do well is an amazing feeling.”
At the secondary level for Team Alberta’s, Brynt Belizar of Holy Rosary High School fired up his photography skills for a bronze finish.
The grade 11 student loves to read and has just discovered his interest in taking pictures in the last year. He enjoys working with effects.
“There’s always more to discover. I have so much to learn. The competitors that I saw in Skills Canada; their skills in photos are amazing. The things they have done I have not even thought of yet and that’s what I want to achieve; new stuff.”
Communications media teacher Skye Ferguson says that Belizar with his bronze placement is the third best in photography in Canada. She explains the process from provincials to the national contest. She says they had to work ahead of time.
“They had to submit three photos based on a theme ahead of time. It was due at 8 a.m. on the day of the competition. Then at the competition they had to shoot for provincials, eight more images and 13 at nationals. So it is a long exhausting day, but he did absolutely fantastic.”
She says some of the projects Belizar did were outdoor self portrait, mystery objects and photos without edits.
Belizar is looking forward to returning to nationals next year.