Last September Gleneagle secondary student Kasra Vahidi was choosing his elective courses when a counsellor suggested he take a class he had not considered: drafting and design.
Fast-forward eight months and Vahidi is a provincial champion in architectural design after winning the Skills Canada B.C. competition last week in Abbotsford in which he redesigned a penthouse apartment.
Now, he is gearing up for a national competition next month, and Vahidi is already mulling ideas for what he will show the judges when he takes on architectural design students from across Canada.
"I am looking forward to the national competition," he said. "I think this time they won't ask for residential. They will ask for a commercial project. That is my guess."
Wayne Biley, Vahidi's drafting and design instructor, said it is unusual for a Grade 11 student to make it into the national contest. With an extra year of experience, Biley believes the 17-year-old could repeat his achievements in the drafting competitions next year.
"He is a super hardworking and polite student," Biley said. "We are thinking he might enter again next year. It could really put Gleneagle on the map."
Vahidi is not the only Tri-City student heading to Edmonton next month. Caleb Dumont of Charles Best secondary is participating in the electrical category while Jeff Heidema, also from Best, will participate in joinery.
The 19th annual national competition takes place between May 13 and 16 and will feature more than 5,000 contestants in 40 trades from across the country.
