TERRACE BAY—In early Dec, 2021, St. Hillory Catholic School student Rodney Wawia, entered Skills Ontario glider plane competition. The competition was open to students in Grades 6 and 7 in Ontario schools offering them an opportunity to demonstrate what was described as, “creativity, skills and knowledge of the skills trades.”
Students who entered had to follow clearly laid out expectations in order to build a glider using household materials. Their entry had to include detailed blueprints, photographs, and lists that demonstrated their effective use of materials and safety practices.
The entrants had as their final task to create a video and to test how long the glider could stay in the air. Rodney did all of this and on Jan. 17, his school received notice that he had won the gold medal at the regional level of this competition.
Rodney will now be advancing to the provincial championship round and competing against medalists from all the regions in Ontario. His championship round submission is due by Feb. 23 with winners to be announced on March 23.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Rodney and his teacher, Mr. Aaron Stephens, on Jan. 21, 2022. When asked why he entered this competition Rodney replied, “I want to be an Aerospace Engineer when I grow up and thought that this is a good place to start.”
He shared that when he first began planning to enter this competition, he found it quite challenging. “I had to focus at a lot at the same time and found it overwhelming to be honest. I had to figure out the shape of the wings in order for it to create its own lift, and where’s the center of gravity.”
When his teacher Aaron Stephens was asked about his reaction to Rodney winning the gold medal, he stated that his was different and that Rodney had taken a different perspective. “He took it from an engineering point of view and used a structural design which was very different from the other entrants, and Rodney’s used cardboard not just paper.”
Rodney also shared that, Mr. Stephens and Mrs. Clowes, were his inspiration to enter the competition. “She is the one that told me about it, and that’s when I started building it”. To prepare for provincials, Rodney indicated that, “I’m definitely going to have to build a different design like this one was like a prototype. I just want to make sure that I get first again. I just have to figure one that flies sturdy and that will fly far.”
The provincial level round is scheduled for Feb. 23, 2022 with finalists and winners to be announced by Skills Ontario on March 23. Let’s wish Rodney the best of luck as he continues onto the next level of this competition with the hope of bringing home the gold medal once again.
