MHS graduate places second in Skills USA national contest
By CAROL DREILING, Sentinel Staff Writer
Monday, July 18, 2005 12:39 PM CDT

After winning the silver medal at the Skills USA National Conference competition in carpentry in June, the future looks promising for Adam Deeds, a 2005 graduate of McPherson High School.

Deeds, a two-time Kansas champion in carpentry, won the silver in the 2004 national competition as well. His future will build on these skills as he plans to enroll at Pittsburg State University in the fall with a major in construction management.
In the secondary division, competitors took a written general knowledge test as well as a day-long skill test,

"When I walked out of the contest, I thought I had done as good as I possibly could," Deeds said. "Everything was plumbed and squared; I felt good about it."
Deeds and the 50 other high school contestants, each in 12-by-12 foot area, began their projects at 8 a.m. on the fourth day of the conference. After one hour to focus and begin the work, the competition was open to public observation. According to Deeds, construction lasted approximately six-and-one-half hours. The contestants then left the site for 30 minutes while the judges completed some of their work; this was followed by the contestants' tear-down of their project.
The contest description listed four performance requirements: frame walls using wood and metal studs, cut and install common and hip rafters, install drywall and interior trim and lay out and cut a stair stringer. Contestants were to be judged on accuracy, ability to read and interpret blueprints, workmanship and the proper use of tools and equipment.

The judge's score sheet listed 17 items about the project. In addition to assembly details, contestants were scored in areas such as power tool operation, general safety, best use of materials, job site organization, clothing, tool box and time.
"It's so specific," Deeds said. "We were graded down even to the number of nails we used. Everybody had the same number of nails and the same amount of material. They told us we should use only three studs to build our saw horses, or we would run out of materials."

Deeds, who said he had only three feet of waste in end scraps from the studs, said the contestants had to be aware of every detail. According to Deeds, Arlan Penner, MHS carpentry instructor and Skills USA advisor, suggested that, during the contest, it was not wise even to remove safety glasses to wipe away sweat.
"From time to time, I even used a 2x4 to sweep up my area," Deeds said. "The judging may seem pretty tight, but -- say you are on a job site -- are you going to do it (follow company practices) or do what you please?"

Deeds' final score was 90.5 percent, just 1 percent off the score of the Vermont student who placed first. Figure into his total was a 93 percent from a written test he had taken on the third day of the conference.

"It was neat to have a kid do so well," Penner said. "If you compare scores across the board between Adam and the winner from Vermont, you'll see they went back and forth. Adam would have a better score in one area, and the one from Vermont would have a better score in the next."

The dimension category had a very tough judge, according to Deeds. In general construction, some tolerance on dimensions is acceptable.

"I don't think anybody scored higher than 70 percent in that area," Deeds said. "That part cost me the 1 percent difference."

Deeds has been interested in construction for a very long time. He said from the time he was four or five years old, his dad had set a block of wood and some roofing nails outdoors.

"Dad told us when we got bored, we should go out and pound some nails," he said.

His dad, Doug Deeds, has been a master carpenter for at least 30 years. Penner said much of the credit for the younger Deeds' skills should go to the father.
"Adam came to me with a lot of experience with his dad," Penner said. "As kids work through my program, they might go to state as sophomores and get their feet wet. They'll go back as juniors with a shot at doing well. As a junior, on his first try, Adam won state and then won the silver medal at nationals.

"Adam prepared himself well for the competition, but he was still open to suggestions from me."

Deeds won a prize packet of tools and clothing worth several thousand dollars. He feels very fortunate for his experiences at the national contest.

"I really need to thank the area businesses that provided donations so that we could attend the competition," Deeds said. "It cost about $800 to cover the cost."
Deeds pointed to the success MHS students have had over the past four years at the Skills USA contest.

"Gregg (Barrow) started it four years ago," he said. "He competed nationally for two years; then I competed two years, too. Tyler Peterson (MHS student) got second in the state behind me. I plan to give him all the help I can for next year."
Another MHS alumnus, Dolan Boxberger, represented Kansas in the post-secondary carpentry competition, where he placed 10th in the nation.

This was Boxberger's first appearance at national competition. As the Kansas state winner, he competed against 26 other post-secondary contestants in a project very similar to the one given to secondary students.

"We had the same kind of project," Boxberger said. "We had to read blueprints, take a written test and build the roof and end structures. We also framed windows."

A recent Hutchinson Community College graduate, Boxberger will continue his construction science education at Kansas State University. He is spending his second summer working construction for Penner.

"I would like to stay in Kansas to work when I finish school," he said.
During the last day of the conference, Deeds, Penner and Boxberger participated in a Timberland Community Service project; 800 conference participants volunteered to work at one of seven sites in Kansas City, Mo. Deeds helped with a group that built benches, did some landscaping and helped with tile work at the Don Bosco Center. Boxberger worked at the same site, helping to build a fence and laying mosaic tile around an entryway.

According to Deeds, so many of the 14,000 conference participants volunteered to be part of the service project that some had to be turned away.

Deeds appears to be headed toward a solid career in construction through PSU.
He is the recipient of three scholarships for his studies there: the Dr. Otter scholarship, which was awarded through the university; the Dr. Levins scholarship, a new award presented at the MHS Senior Honors Night in the spring, and the local Home Builders Association scholarship.

McPherson Unified School District 418
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