Some Holy Trinity Academy students learned, just three days before Mother’s Day, the importance of listening to mom.
The MacDonalds siblings, Matthew, and twin sisters, Katlyn and Julie, all placed in the top three in IT office software applications at the Skills Canada Alberta competition in Edmonton on May 10-11.
“I think it was the influence or our mother, Aaron, she pushed us all to take information processing in high school,” Matthew said. “Her and my father, David, encouraged us to take the skills competition.”
It pays to listen to mom and dad.
Matthew became the first HTA student to qualify for the national skills competition in two weeks in Winnipeg.
He won the Level II division — the highest division in the software applications.
“We were working for a fictitious company called Rocky Mountain Rentals,” Matthew explained. “We had to design a logo, a letterhead, and in Powerpoint we had to make basically a commercial.”
They also had to build a spreadsheet describing the company’s finances using Excel and finally they worked with Access to build a database for the fictitious rental outlet.
“On Day 1 we had three hours to work on Word and then on the afternoon to work on Powerpoint,” Matthew said.
The next day was used for work on Excel and Access.
“It was definitely difficult,” Matthew said. “I was pretty happy with my finished product. They basically said you could do what ever you want with the Powerpoint. I made mine look pretty good, it was animated pretty nicely.”
He said the second day of competition featured the Excel and Access components, his strongest disciplines.
However, with only the top person in Level II advancing to nationals, it meant only one MacDonald could make the trip to Winnipeg. But, the MacDonalds reigned in Edmonton.
The Grade 11 Katlyn was third in Level II at provincials while her twin sister, Julie won the Level I division.
“I didn’t think I was going to beat my brother but I was happy with how I did,” Katlyn said. “I am very happy with him (Matthew) and really proud that he is with Team Alberta.”
Katlyn ended up competing against Matthew after finishing second to her older brother at regionals at SAIT earlier this spring.
Julie was relegated to Level I at provincials because she was third at regionals — behind her brother and sister. She won gold at provincials in Level I.
“I thought it was a good experience, just going to see what it was all about and competing, it was a good experience,” Julie said.
As for Winnipeg and nationals, Matthew is going to do his best and just as Neil Young sang about growing up in the ‘Peg — Don’t be Denied.
“I’m still fairly confident even though I know the level of competition is going to be high — the best of the best across Canada,” Matthew said about nationals. “But I will keep practicing and trying to get better. I think I can place at nationals.”
All three MacDonalds credited teacher Louise Niven for her guidance through the information process course at HTA.
Braiden Kononoff finished fourth in IT office software applications at Level I.
The MacDonalds weren’t the only Holy Trinity Academy students to hit the podium. Markus de Medeiros finished third in graphic design.
“We had to design a logo for a snowboard,” the Grade 12 student said. “The company was called Grizzly Boards, so we had a grizzly head on the right and then a snowboard coming out the left.”
Grade 10 student Matthew Peloso was fourth in cabinet making.
“I was working right until the end, but I was really happy with it,” Peloso said. “I didn’t have time to sand it. I made a few mistakes because I should have gone faster the first day. But it was a great experience.”
Colton Kroon had a respectable finish in carpentry. Not only was he good with a saw, but also a broom and goggles.
He won the safety award.
“I think it’s because I kept my area clean and work safely,” he said.
Grade 11 student Nicole Robertson cracked the top 10 in her first public speaking competition.
