A team of Markham students crossed the finish line in first place in a recent Skills Ontario competition.
Grade 4 students Chloe Choi, Giselle Bai and Melissa Dai of Ashton Meadows Public School earned top honours in the Cardboard Car Race at the Junk Drawer Races Competition, which is open to students from Grades 2 to 12.
“This experience allowed the students to understand how to navigate in the real world,” Grade 4 gifted teacher Gaiyathry Nadarajah says of the team’s first place finishes at both the regional and provincial levels. “For example, when they had difficulties with the car, the ability to problem solve, collaborate and communicate with their peers definitely gave them insight on how to approach and solve problems similar to those they will encounter in the future.”
Richmond Hill’s Beynon Fields Public School Team One, made up of Alexander Dai, Adam Gharibnavaz, Frewen Jia and Steven Xu, earned second place In the Hydraulic Crane Challenge. “I was very happy to have the opportunity for my Grade 8s to apply their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) knowledge in a setting outside the classroom,” says teacher Heather Murley.
Skills Ontario is dedicated to building the future skilled workforce and has been offering programs designed to inspire and engage youth since 1989, including presentations, career exploration events, competitions, summer camps, and Young Women’s and First Nations, Métis and Inuit workshops and conferences.
From left, Melissa Dai, Chloe Choi and Giselle Bai earned first place in Skills Ontario’s Junk Drawer Races Competition Cardboard Car Race. Photo courtesy of the York Region District School Board.
