DDSB Students Earn Provincial Skills Competition Medals, Advance to National Stage
DDSB Provincial Skills Competition results include gold, silver and bronze medals across technology, photography and culinary arts
WHITBY — Students from across the Durham District School Board (DDSB) earned top honours at the 2026 Provincial Skills Competition, with multiple medal-winning performances in categories ranging from photography and culinary arts to technology and animation.
The competitions took place at the Toronto Congress Centre earlier this month, with elementary students competing on May 4 and secondary students competing on May 5.
Among the standout performers was Ethan Geng of Pickering High School, who captured a gold medal in Photography and will now advance to the National Skills Competition in Toronto on May 28 and 29.
DDSB officials say students competed against some of Ontario’s top young skilled trades and technology talent at what is considered Canada’s largest provincially run skills competition.
Secondary students earn medals across multiple categories
DDSB secondary students competed in 32 skills categories during the provincial event.
The board’s secondary medal winners included:
- Ethan Geng – Pickering High School
Gold Medal – Photography - Jordan Campbell – Port Perry High School
Silver Medal – Job Interview - Jack Bright – Sinclair Secondary School
Bronze Medal – Culinary Arts - Jason Xue and Riyaj Raiyan – Donald A. Wilson Secondary School
Bronze Medal – 3D Animation - Anuj Mishra – Pickering High School
Bronze Medal – Web Development
DDSB credited both students and teacher mentors for supporting the successful performances.
Elementary students also recognized
DDSB elementary students also secured strong results during the provincial competition, earning one gold medal and two silver medals.
Students from Coronation Public School won gold in the Grades 4-6 Character Animation category.
Silver medals were awarded to:
- Sir Samuel Steele Public School in the Grades 4-6 Technology category
- Viola Desmond Public School in the Grades 7-8 Technology category
Additional schools participating in the competition included:
- William Dunbar Public School
- Quaker Village Public School
- Sherwood Public School
- Michaëlle Jean Public School
- Village Union Public School
- Pringle Creek Public School
DDSB says participating students also attended hands-on workshops designed to introduce students to new technical and skilled trades opportunities.
Skills competitions highlight career pathways
Skills competitions across Ontario are designed to encourage student interest in:
- Skilled trades
- Technology
- Applied learning
- Career development
- Innovation and creativity
The Durham District School Board said the achievements demonstrated both student commitment and the strength of mentorship provided by educators across the board.
“We are extremely proud of all our student competitors as they excelled brightly while representing their respective schools and the DDSB,” the board said in a statement.
The DDSB serves more than 80,000 day students across Durham Region, including communities in Ajax, Whitby, Pickering, Oshawa, Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge.
For more GTA education and student achievement coverage, follow GTA Today.
Follow us on social media @GTATodayNews for breaking local news and community updates from across the GTA.
