Lockport students take record-setting 5 championships at state drafting and design competition

Lockport — Lockport Township High School is celebrating a school record set by drafting and design students at the Illinois Design Education Association’s state competition April 12.

According to a news release from Lockport Township High School District 205, 15 LTHS students competed in eight categories at the state competition and placed in all eight, earning five state championships and three second-place finishes.

Students Gavin Nusko, Aubree Tovar and Mara Kubis were named champions in the Architecture Design Team event, a repeat victory for Kubis and Tovar.

Gavin Monreal took first in 3D Architecture, Nathaniel Rowell was state champion in 2D Machine CAD, Stephen Reuter took the top prize in 3D Machine CAD, and Duncan Kenney-Benson was the winner in the 3D Assembly Modeling category.

Second-place victories went to David Krzysiak in 3D CAD Modeling; Maha Dissi in Introductory CAD; and the team of Joseph Stroner, Jackson Malony and Kyle Stevens in the Engineering Design team event.

Students qualified for state by placing either first or second at a regional competition.

Students in the individual CAD contests were challenged to complete complex design drawings within a two-hour period, while students in the team events presented projects they’d worked on since January, according to the district.

The teams were given “in-depth design problems” and had to present their research, drawings, models and solutions to a panel of judges comprising architects, engineers, college students and teachers, according to the district.

The “unprecedented” success – the most state championships at the contest in a single year – brings Lockport Township High School’s total state drafting and design state championships to 17, the district said.

“Drafting and design instructors Jeff Brown and Rodger Ebert continue to lead and inspire students to excellence in technical education,” the district’s administration said in the announcement. “Congratulations to all our student designers on their incredible accomplishments and for representing LTHS with Porter Pride.”

“Five championships in one year is phenomenal,” Brown said. “The students were great. They put in the time and work to prepare, and they really earned it.”