Deeds places 2nd in nation
By COURTNEY IRWIN, Sentinel Staff Writer
Adam Deeds, a quiet, soon-to-be senior at McPherson High School, has been busy this summer. After winning a state competition earlier this year, Deeds competed in the national Skills U.S.A. contest in Kansas City. His task was to build a structure to specifications of the contest to show his prowess as a carpenter.
He proved his knowledge of the carpentry field by placing second in the nation.
"It feels pretty good," he said. "It was a shock."
Now the Little River resident will work hard and study for next year's competition, where he is determined to get first place.
The contest consisted of constructing a building using many different techniques in construction and carpentry. He was with a group of other high school students and together they had 6 1/2 hours to build the structure. He explained that judges came by the groups to look at how each individual worked and used his skills. Deeds said because he had been working with some of the electric equipment, like the different saws, he didn't follow the safety rules exactly and was docked some points because of it. But he said he will study more for next year's competition and correct the mistakes he made this year.
The fun part of the project, said Deeds, was tearing down the structure after it was built. That only took about 45 minutes.
Seventy-two high school and college students competed in the contest. Deeds said the high school students scored higher than the college students even though all the participants were building the same structure.
As a second-place winner, Deeds received about $2,000 worth of tools. He is hoping to win next year and use his skills to get scholarships. Deeds plans on attending Pittsburg State University in 2005. Deeds is the son of Doug and Rita Deeds, Little River.

McPherson Unified School District 418
514 N. Main
McPherson, KS 67460
620-241-9400
It is the policy of McPherson USD 418 not to discriminate on the basis of sex, disability, race,
religion, color, age, or national origin in its educational programs and/or activities, nor in its employment practices.

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