First came waiting through all the categories before video production. Then, medalists announced in reverse order. Bronze medalists, silver medalists and finally, the gold medalists are named.

In 2013 and 2014 she and her video partner, Megan Yusep sat through the ceremonies anticipating their category. Eventually, they heard their names called as the gold medalists.

In 2019, Skye Ferguson was at the Lakeland Regional Skills competition in a different role. Coach Ferguson, of Holy Rosary High School, listened and twice heard Lloydminster Comprehensive High School, her former high school, called for video production medals.

It wasn’t surprising to her. Ferguson knew from experience the Comp’s teams are well-prepared. Their teacher and her former mentor, Alan Griffith, has brought his students to Regional Skills since the video production category was added in 2012. His teams have won 11 medals: 5 golds, 3 silver and 3 bronze.

Griffith, though, was surprised when he saw Skye back at Regional Skills. “I did a double take today because there was Skye,” he said outside the room where their teams were editing their competition videos. He says he’s very proud of his former student for two reasons. She earned her degree, and she's continued her involvement with the skills movement.

Her involvement has been as both a competitor and coach. Ferguson, with Yusep, earned silver and bronze medals at provincials. Last year, during her teaching practicum, she brought teams from J.R. Robson to regional skills. One team won the bronze.

 While Ferguson teaches photography, her involvement with skills is part of her extracurricular activities. She is passionate about the skills competition. “I always hype it at my school,” she says. “It’s a chance for you to learn if you actually want to do this with your life.”

During her path to a BEd degree, she promoted trades training and the skills competition. She says she always took the opportunity to tell about the benefits of skills. She even earned scholarships from writing essays and always included the skills movement.

As well as a regional skills alumnus, Ferguson is also a Lakeland alumna. She took her first year of university at Lakeland before transferring to the University of Alberta. While at Lakeland she joined a group of other education students on a Mexico trip to experience another country’s education system.

She started working as a teacher a month after completing her degree in April 2018. So, 2019 was her first time at skills as a full-fledged teacher.

And, it was a rewarding experience beyond exposing her students to the skills movement. She admits she was nervous a s the first two medals didn’t go to her students. But, then came the words she wanted to hear: “The gold medalists from Holy Rosary: Mackenzie De Crescenzo and Sierrah Bennett.”

Below: Ferguson's gold medal video from 2014. The competition theme was safety. Check out her 2013 gold video at Regional Skills, also with partner Megan Yusep.