Woodcraft Supports AWFS Student Competitions
Parkersburg, W. VA. (PRWEB) August 21, 2013 -- Woodcraft’s AWFS Fair participation this year included support for two student competitions – SkillsUSA and Fresh Wood. Woodcraft provided tools for the SkillsUSA event and a financial contribution for Fresh Wood.
“Woodcraft congratulates the SkillsUSA and Fresh Wood winners – and their competitors – as passionate young woodworkers who will keep their craft alive while continuing to develop their skills,” Jody Garrett, Woodcraft president, said. “Providing competitions to measure their skills and gain public attention for woodworking is important and worth supporting in whatever way possible.”
SkillsUSA is a national organization that supports and promotes skilled trades and is the qualifying organization for the WorldSkills International competition. WorldSkills is an international career technical education training organization. Students from around the world compete for gold medals and recognition in their field of training. During AWFS, Jacob Wozniak, a graduate of Cattaraugus-Allegheny BOCES in Ellicottville, New York, won the qualifying trial and will represent the USA at the 2015 WorldSkills International competition in São Paulo, Brazil.
Wozniak and two other students displayed their cabinet construction and woodworking skills in a three-day (21-hour) competition that required building an advanced cabinet with hand-cut dovetails, veneer, domino and biscuit joinery, edgebanding, hardware and more. As winner, Wosniak received a Kreg Router with table, a Festool Power Miter Box and other Festool items, and his school received a General International Mortiser.
Woodcraft, one of 15 exhibiting sponsors, donated a little over $5,000 in tools, as well as paying shipping costs.
In another AWFS event, Mollie Ferguson of Oakland, California, a College of the Redwoods student, and Kristoffer Edlund of Sandy, Utah, a Brighton High School student, led the list of 2013 Fresh Wood Student Competition winners. Ferguson won Best of Show and first place in the post secondary chair category for her chair, “dulcius ex asperis”, and Edlund won the People’s Choice Award and second place in the high school tables category for his wood and glass table, “Wrapped Walnut.”
Ferguson’s prizes include: for Best of Show, a sculpture designed by renowned wood artist Sam Maloof, $1,200 and a 14" Rikon bandsaw, and for first place, $1,025 and a certificate of merit. Edlund’s prizes are: for People’s Choice, $600; and for second place, $625 and a certificate of merit.
Woodcraft has been supporting Fresh Wood since 2012 when it established a matching fund to encourage donations to support the competition. Held in conjunction with the AWFS Fair every two years, Fresh Wood offers a place for students to showcase their work, be introduced to the industry as artists, designers and woodworkers, and be exposed to industry career opportunities. It is an industry-sponsored competition for serious woodworking students who are anticipating a career in the wood and related industries. The contest is open to students in North America, and there is no entry fee.
Woodcraft matches contributions to Fresh Wood from customers and others up to $10,000 each year. In January Woodcraft presented Fresh Wood with a check for the $4,260 contributed/matched in 2012, which allowed Fresh Wood to increase the 2013 competition monetary prize amounts. So far in 2013, the Fresh Wood campaign has raised $2,748. To contribute to Fresh Wood, visit woodcraft.com and type the word “donate” in the search box to access the project donation page. Or, if you place an order, you can donate as the order is processed.
For more information about AWFS Fair, visit http://www.awfsfair.org. Click on media/press releases to learn more about the SkillsUSA and Fresh Wood competition winners.
Woodcraft Supply, LLC, is the industry leader in providing a wide variety of top quality products, educational opportunities and one-on-one guidance to woodworkers of all skill levels. For more information about Woodcraft, please contact the store nearest you, visit http://www.woodcraft.com or call (800) 535-4482. To learn about Woodcraft franchise opportunities, visit http://www.woodcraftfranchise.com or email woodcraftfranchise(at)woodcraft(dot)com.
Lori Milner, Woodcraft Supply, LLC, http://www.woodcraft.com, 304-422-5412 2107, [email protected]
Share this article