St Joseph High School student to represent Alberta at Skills National Competition

Duane Rolheiser

Published

6 years ago

2 minute read

Left to Right – Noah Nowochin, Gold Provincials. Mr. Leigh Smithson, Teacher and Coach. Andrew Heidebrecht, Provincials, Silver.

From Red Deer Catholic Schools

Students from École Secondaire Notre Dame High School, St. Joseph High School and St. Francis of Assisi Middle School participated in the Skills Alberta Competition on May 8-9 in Edmonton.

“The Skills Alberta competition provides a unique opportunity for students from all over the province to showcase and develop their individual gift and talents. Students train for several months perfecting their skills and have the opportunity to advance from zones to provincials to nationals and then to worlds. While it is nice to win and advance, the ultimate goal is having our students experience growth in their trade area. Many of our students gain lifelong friends and industry connections,” said CTS Department Head, Tracey Millar from Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools.

The students competed from École Secondaire Notre Dame High School were:

Toni Carlson – Senior Hairstyling – finished in 10^th place
Jayne Evans – Job Skill Demonstration– finished in 6^th place

The student competed from St. Joseph High School were:

Noah Nowochin – Electrical Installations – finished in 1^st place
Andrew Heidebrecht – Electrical Installations– finished in 2^ndplace

The student competed from St. Francis of Assisi Middle School was:

Jacob Mudry – Junior Culinary Challenge – finished in 4^th place

Noah Nowochin will continue on to compete in the Skills National Competition in Halifax on May 28 and 29.

For the past 12 years, our division has brought home 16 medals and eight of them being gold in the electrical wiring competition.

For more information, please visit https://skillsalberta.com/

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Duane Rolheiser

After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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Education

Our sweetest success yet: Smile Cookie Campaign breaks record

Published on June 11, 2025

Red Deer Public Schools

Just when we thought our smiles couldn’t get any bigger – they did! And we have the Red Deer community to thank for their overwhelming support.

We are so excited to share the total from the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign this past spring…and it’s very impressive. In fact, it’s an all-time record, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Over the long-week campaign held April 28-May 4, Red Deerians indulged in a lot of cookies – $80,773 worth! These funds will go directly to helping struggling readers become readers of potential through Reading College, a project of The Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools.

Reading College, held each July, provides students with identified reading gaps an incredible summer experience that builds their skills, confidence, and love for reading. Students leave the program with stronger reading and writing abilities, and a solid foundation for success in school and life. Now in its 14th year, 1,000 students have graduated from Reading College.

“We continue to be amazed by the generosity of our community and the partnership with Tim Hortons,” said Kristine Plastow, Board Chair for The Foundation for Red Deer Public Schools. “These dollars directly impact kids who need extra support to become confident readers. The difference this program makes is life-changing.”

Tanya Doucette, Tim Hortons Restaurant Owner in Red Deer, said it’s incredible to see what can happen when a community comes together. The simple act of purchasing a cookie by so many amazing guests, makes a huge difference for young students right here in Red Deer.

“This record-breaking year shows how much our guests care. We are so pleased to support Reading College and help give students the tools they need to thrive,” she said.

Red Deer

Red Deer Student honoured with Chief Youth Courage Award

Published on June 10, 2025

Red Deer Public Schools

When you meet Brayden Chenier, a Grade 8 student at GH Dawe School, it’s clear why he’s been chosen to represent youth across Alberta. Brayden is the proud recipient of the Integrated School Support Program Provincial (ISSP) Chief Youth Courage Award, presented by the Calgary Police Youth Foundation, in recognition of his resilience, leadership and commitment to his community.

The award celebrates students who demonstrate courage and dedication to becoming a responsible and caring citizen, especially within a diverse school and community, and was presented earlier this spring at the Calgary Police Awards Gala. As part of the honour, Brayden will now serve as a youth ambassador, helping to raise awareness about child and youth crime prevention, education, and intervention programs across the province.

“It’s pretty surreal that I will be all over the province for a year,” said Brayden. “I am looking forward to helping out in the community.”

Brayden has been part of the ISSP program through GH Dawe School since 2023 and has benefited greatly from the support offered.

With the support of the mental health professional, Brayden has been able to successfully navigate a variety of challenges in his life including coming to terms with his disability and navigating a tragic loss in his life.

Born with clubfoot, Brayden has never let his physical disability stand in his way. He is an avid athlete in a number of sports including hockey, basketball, golf, track, volleyball and soccer. His goal is working towards becoming an athlete in the Paralympics.

Brayden was nominated by GH Dawe School Counsellor Amy Johansson, who described him as a compassionate, kind, hardworking, and honest person who is driven and motivated to be his very best at all that he attempts.

She added that within the GH Dawe School community, Brayden is a highly respected citizen by all students and staff. “He is highly committed to sports connected to our school, as well as sports outside of our school community. Brayden works diligently at his academics. And is so very helpful and caring, always. Brayden works to overcome a list of things that he will not allow to hold him back.”

GH Dawe School is part of Alberta’s Integrated School Support Program – a child wellness initiative aimed at improving academic performance and the overall well-being of students. The program supports schools like GH Dawe with services to meet the diverse needs of students and families.

As he takes on his role as a provincial ambassador, Brayden continues to be a role model for his peers and a reminder of the power of perseverance and community support.