For Immediate Release
Contact: Adria Torrez
adria@awfs.org
323.215.0311
AWFS® Member Companies Show Support for SkillsUSA Woodworking
Companies contribute over $12,500 to the 2015 SkillsUSA California contests
ANAHEIM, CA – May 12, 2015 – Royal Plywood, Blum, Hafele, Woodcraft, ESI, Decore-ative Specialties, Amana Tool and West Wood Products generously donated over $12,500 in supplies, tools and giveaways for students at the 2015 SkillsUSA California State Cabinetmaking Championships, held Saturday, April 11 at the Town & Country Resort and Convention Center in San Diego. Staff and volunteers from the Association of Woodworking and Furnishings Suppliers® (AWFS®) served as contest coordinators and volunteers for the SkillsUSA California state Cabinetmaking and Introductory Woodworking contests.
A total of nineteen students from ten schools across the state competed for medals, prizes and the opportunity to represent California at the National Championships in the Cabinetmaking contest. The students built a two-foot tall cabinet utilizing Blum offset hinges for the frameless cabinet and Blum TANDEM glides for the drawer box, both donated by Blum. Blum San Diego rep Gary Riley was on hand to provide a demo of the TANDEM slide installation. Hafele provided decorative hardware for the drawer and door. Woodcraft and DeWALT/Porter Cable jointly contributed four palm routers and Amana Tool gave decorative router bits. ESI donated edge-banding, while all of the solid stock and sheet goods came from Royal Plywood of Cerritos, CA. Decore Door donated sample doors and West Wood Products provided pre-grooved drawer sides, which saved the students time in the contest and enhanced the overall look of the finished product.
Students had eight hours to finish the project and judges used criteria such as accuracy of measurements and use of tools and machinery to determine the scores. In an attempt to prepare the students for the national competition, a radius drawer front was introduced as a new contest element this year. Contest coordinator Saul Martin, who developed the project plans, said “We walked the contestants through using kerfed material to accomplish this process and they did very well. This is something they can now add to their list of skills when they look for jobs in the industry”. The judging panel consisted of three highly experienced professional local cabinetmakers/woodworkers. The students were then allowed to take home their finished cabinets.
The students who earn the highest honors in the state cabinetmaking competition – Gold Medals – are then eligible for a trip to Louisville, Kentucky in June for the high-energy National Leadership & Skills Championships, where they will pit their skills against other top-medalists from all other states. (Left: Contestant Jose Tiscareno, Fontana High School, won HS Cabinetmaking Gold.)
Meanwhile, twelve first-year woodworking students competed in the state Introductory Woodworking contest, intended to introduce students to the SkillsUSA competitive environment and encourage them to return to compete in the Cabinetmaking contest the following year. The students built a foot stool, incorporating different joinery methods and jig saw technique. All material was donated by Royal Plywood. Representatives from the San Diego State University MFA Furniture Design program and Palomar College Cabinet and Furniture Technology program volunteered as judges for the contest.
Regional Contests served Twenty-Seven Local Woodworking Students
Bessey Tools N.A., Blum, Inc., Royal Plywood, Laguna Tools and Rockler Woodworking sponsored in the SkillsUSA California Region 3 woodworking contests, held on Saturday, January 24 at Los Angeles Trade Technical College. A record twenty-seven area high school students competed in the Cabinetmaking and the Introductory Woodworking contests combined. The Cabinetmaking contestants prepared a bill of materials and built a cabinet door, drawer box and top, while the Introductory Woodworking contestants built a magazine holder during the three hour contest. Royal Plywood provided over $1,500 in material for the two woodworking contests as well as the Carpentry contest. Blum, Inc. contributed tape measures and pencils and Laguna Tools contributed t-shirts for the contestants. Bessey Tools donated $150 scholarships to the Gold Medalists, to cover the cost of their registration fees for the state championships. A team of ten volunteers helped develop the contest and served as contest coordinators, judges, scorers, saw monitors and assisted with other critical aspects of the contest execution. “We are honored to be involved in this process with SkillsUSA,” says AWFS Assistant Education Director Adria Torrez, “it is a tangible and meaningful way to support Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and students preparing for careers in our industry”. AWFS staff coordinated the regional woodworking contests. If you would like to participate in future SkillsUSA California woodworking events, please contact Adria Torrez at adria@awfs.org or (323) 215-0311 for more information.
About SkillsUSA: SkillsUSA is one of the largest national career & technical student organizations in the nation. It promotes job readiness with skills and leadership training and supports students entering skilled trades.
To see information on both events, including contest plans, results and photos, visit these pages:
SkillsUSA CA 2015 State Woodworking Contests: http://www.awfs.org/education/skillsusa/skillsusa-ca-2015-state-woodworking-contests/
SkillsUSA CA 2015 Region 3 Woodworking Contests: http://www.awfs.org/education/skillsusa/skillsusa-california-r3-2015-woodworking-contests/
Thank you to the 2015 SkillsUSA CA Regional & State Woodworking Contest Sponsors!