DATE: Thursday, October 16, 1997            TAG: 9710150107

SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN             PAGE: 03   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: THUMBS UP 

SOURCE: BY SHIRLEY BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   85 lines

PRUDEN CENTER STUDENTS WIN FIRST PLACE AT VIRGINIA STATE FAIR MICHAEL THOMPSON, STEVE WILKINS, NICK HARVEY

Three local students put their skills to the test recently and won first place in their categories at the Virginia State Fair Vocational Industrial Club of America (VICA).

At the same time that Michael Thompson, Steve Wilkins, and Nick Harvey are receiving an education, they are also learning a trade at the Pruden Center for Industry and Technology.

Michael and Steve, who are students at Lakeland High School, attend John Thompson's Carpentry II class and competed as a team at the Fair.

They each received a plaque and over $300 worth of tools and gift certificates from industry sponsors.

Nick, a student at Nansemond River High, is a first-year student of Thompson's. He competed in a job skill demonstration contest on shingle application and was awarded a plaque, blue ribbon and a $300 scholarship.

``I like using my hands and building things,'' said 18-year-old Steve, who is a senior and attending Pruden for the second year.

Steve is taking English and American government in the mornings at Lakeland and spends the remainder of the school day at Pruden.

``I'm trying to learn a trade,'' he said. ``I've helped a neighbor build a big garage. Last year, the carpentry class built small wooden sheds for local residents in Windsor. They bought the materials and we went to their homes to do the work.''

For the state-wide competition, Mike and Steve competed against 23 teams. They carried their tools, safety glasses and saw benches to the fairgrounds. Lumber was provided at the site.

``VICA paid for all the materials,'' Steve said. ``We were given a blueprint and we practiced for two days before we left for Richmond. We were given two hours to build a bench and were given an exact amount of screws. If you dropped or broke one, then you were lacking. Some people (in the competition) left screws out.''

After the contest the benches were placed around the fairgrounds for use by fairgoers.

A native of Suffolk, Steve is the son of Wayne and Gail Wilkins. He has a sister, Susan, who is 21.

After graduation, Steve said he plans to enroll at Paul D. Camp Community College and would like to build custom-made, fine furniture as a hobby.

Michael, 16, moved to Suffolk when he was 6. He is one of 10 children, ranging in age from 3 months to 23 years. His mother is Joanne Thompson and his father, John, is his carpentry teacher at Pruden.

``There are seven girls and three boys,'' he said. ``We live in the country, raise chickens and have a horse.''

A sophomore, Michael is taking Algebra II, basic technical drawing, health, and English, in addition to his class at Pruden. He plays baseball, football and wrestles at Lakeland.

Michael has plans to enroll at Virginia Tech to study architecture.

A native of Virginia Beach, 16-year-old Nick is the oldest of three sons of Ken and Elaine Harvey.

His competition at the Fair consisted of applying standard 3-tab shingles to construct a small demonstration roof and then applying trim. Twenty-one students competed against him.

``I had seven minutes to go through the introduction. I had to lay out measurements and nail shingles to the roof while referring to the drawing on a tripod,'' Nick said. ``You weren't allowed to watch other presentations until you were finished.''

A junior, Nick attends class at Pruden from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. He has no plans to be a roofer exclusively, but wants to enroll in Carpentry II next year.

``Ideally, I'd like to get an associate's degree in drafting, work at a drafting firm, and start my own contracting company,'' he said. ``The $300 scholarship will help a lot.''

Nick is a descendent of both the Seneca and Blackfoot Indian tribes. As a member of the Young Elk group, he dresses in traditional regalia to dance and drum at Indian Pow Wows.

``The younger people wear flashier colors and use different maneuvers,'' he said. ``We've traveled as far north as Massachusetts and as far south as South Carolina to perform.''

At Nansemond River High, Nick is a member of the Co-Ed Hi-Y and will attend the Model General Assembly in the spring. He plays offensive guard, defensive tackle and defensive nose guard on the varsity football team. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by MICHAEL KESTNER

Nick Harvey won first place for putting on a shingle roof.

Michael Thompson and Steve Wilkins competed as a team.

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