by Sandi Kuntsi
MSS is overflowing with talent, and spring is the perfect time to showcase it. William Linder, Caleb Byers, Trevor Bailey, Jackie Cooper and Grace Duncanson competed in 2D Animation, Caleb and William competed in carpentry for teams of two, while Trevor was supposed to compete in computer programming but unfortunately got sick and was unable to compete. The group travelled to Toronto for the Provincial Skills Competition from May 1-4. The group spent their first evening at Vaughan Mills Mall shopping for a few hours. The next morning, the group went to the Toronto Congress Centre for the competition. At the Congress Centre, students in the carpentry divisions of the competition (including Manitoulin’s own Caleb Byers and William Linder) participated in a record breaking event: the number of people hitting nails at the exact same time. The previous record was 250, but it was broken with 299 people at this year’s Skills Competition. There were Guinness world Record officials there, and as an extra surprise, Mike Holmes, Mike Holmes Jr., and Sherry Holmes from the TV show Holmes on Homes attended the event. Each participant got to keep a special hammer that they used to break the record as proof for their friends. The results of the MSS students are unknown so far, but results will be up soon. The boys were competing against 75 teams, and the girls competed against over 40 teams. There were over 100 events and attended by 20,000 spectators. It was a great opportunity for MSS students to showcase their technical talents.
Grace Duncanson said, “The Skills Competition had over 2,300 competitors who were really qualified students from around the province. Many of the winners were from private schools. It was really interesting to see the different techniques and strategies they chose to use. The competition was a really special experience.”
SHARE/Go Green had their spring coffee house on May 4. The Star Wars and Spring themed MSS library hosted several different performers, while audience members drank tea and coffee, and enjoyed treats from the bake sale. Performers at the event treated guests to a variety of different genres of music: Mr. Theijsmeijer and Ms. Wilson, Stephen Granville, Carissa Holliday, Paul Best, Kendra Jordison, Jessica Jordison, Isaac Gosse, Josh Noble, and I performed. Some songs were originals and some were covers, but the performers did a wonderful job. MSS Vocal Group members who were at the coffee house performed two of their songs, “Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat” and a “Les Miserables” medley. All donations made for admission and at the bake sale will go to the Somalia Famine Relief and the WE.Org projects in Kenya.
Mr. Theijsmeijer has started up the tennis season at MSS and the students are practicing hard. The MSS Artastic Fusion group is busy organizing the annual Juried Art Show. If students have entries, they can speak to Mrs. Wesno or April Torkopolous.
On May 18, a group of students is heading to Stratford with Ms. Bauer and Mr. Scott to spend three days immersed in theatre, doing workshops, and watching professional musicals and plays. The group will be going out for dinner at a Greek restaurant and seeing the musicals HMS Pinafore and Guys and Dolls as well as the plays Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night.
These fun events and opportunities allowed the MSS Mustangs to show off their schools. ‘Til next time, stay golden, Mustangs.
