Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board students proudly represented our system at this year’s Skills Ontario Provincial Competition, held on May 4, 2026, demonstrating exceptional skill, creativity, and teamwork across multiple events. This full-day competition, held at the Toronto Congress Centre, brought together top student teams from across the province to showcase their learning in skilled trades and technology. All teams began their day early at 6:45am, preparing for a full day of competition.
A Historic Gold Medal Achievement
A special congratulations to the Grade 7–8 Horticulture and Landscape team from St. Thérèse of Lisieux Catholic Elementary School, Diya, Kessel, Danish, and Madison, who made board history by earning a gold medal in this newly introduced elementary event. This marks the first time HWCDSB has ever won a gold medal at the Skills Ontario provincial competition at the elementary level. Competing against teams from multiple school boards, they demonstrated an outstanding level of innovation, collaboration, and technical skill.
Their project reflected a high level of planning and execution, as they:
- met the client’s design criteria and expectations
- stayed within budget parameters
- adapted successfully to a curveball carpentry task
- worked collaboratively as a cohesive team
- incorporated sustainability and native plant selections
- ensured accessibility within their design
- honoured Indigenous perspectives through a fire gathering space
- designed and 3D printed custom name plates for their company, TSD (True Sustainable Development)
- Their design thoughtfully reflected the significance of fire in Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe traditions, where fire serves as a place of gathering, storytelling, and shared learning. By incorporating this feature, the team demonstrated respect for Indigenous knowledge systems and the importance of community and relationship with the land.
Rooted in our Catholic faith, their work also reflects our shared call to care for creation and serve others as responsible stewards of the Earth, living out the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations in an authentic and meaningful way.
In addition to their achievement, the team proudly wore medals designed by Cathedral High School student Anna N., who won the Skills Ontario medal design contest earlier this year, highlighting student talent and creativity across our system.
Recognizing All Participating Teams
HWCDSB was proud to have four elementary teams qualify and compete at the provincial level:
St. Thérèse of Lisieux CES
Horticulture and Landscape (Grades 7–8)
Gold Medal Winners
Danish, Diya, Kessel, Madison coached by Mrs. Malarczuk
St. Clare of Assisi CES
LEGO Mechanical Engineering (Grades 4–6)
Vittorio, Shawn, Vaughn Corbin coached by Mr. Baird
St. Thomas the Apostle CES
LEGO Robotics (Grades 7–8)
Ameer, Noah, Colby, Andrew coached by Ms. Spina
St. Joseph CES
TV and Video Production (Grades 7–8)
Nathan, Myles coached by Mr. Rados
Each team demonstrated perseverance, creativity, and a commitment to excellence, representing HWCDSB with pride throughout the competition.
We extend our sincere thanks to Mr. Ivkovic and Mr. DiCroce for their ongoing support of students throughout this journey and the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) for their continued support in providing meaningful experiential learning opportunities that help students explore pathways in the skilled trades.
This achievement highlights the power of student-centred, experiential learning and the impact of providing authentic opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world contexts.
