KC MADE Winners Build Skills for Future Careers
Overall Winner 1st Place: Brody Johnston, Shawnee Mission West High School
Metro-area high school students from Shawnee Mission West High School and Bonner Springs High School competed in the second annual KC Manufacturing and Design Expo (KC MADE) at the 2019 Kansas City Home and Lifestyle Show on March 22-24 at Bartle Hall. The contest is a component of the KCHBA’s workforce development initiative, which was launched to help address skilled labor shortages within the homebuilding industry.
KC MADE showcases the talents of local students through a variety of carpentry, woodworking and mixed wood/metalwork projects. It also gives students an opportunity to push themselves beyond traditional shop class projects while offering practical vocational experience.
Brody Johnston, a junior at Shawnee Mission West High School, took top honors at the competition for a wood dresser he crafted based on a Pinterest post.
“This is kind of my passion,” Johnston said. “Ever since I’ve been young, I loved doing things with my hands. It started with Legos, and eventually I’m hoping to turn this into a construction career.”
A panel of judges determined KC MADE winners based on project quality, skill knowledge and professionalism. Program grants were awarded to the schools of the first, second, and third place overall winners in the amounts of $1,000, $750, and $500.
Students with winning projects were rewarded for their efforts with a variety of Makita tools.
The HBA would like to thank 2019 KC MADE Chair Drake Vidrine of NBKC Bank, as well as Home Show title sponsors
Overall Winner 2nd Place: Cameron McCollum, Shawnee Mission West High School
Makita, for supporting the competition.
Additional KC MADE award winners included:
Showmanship:
Winner: Levi Williams, Shawnee Mission West High School
People’s Choice: (based on votes cast by Home Show attendees)
Winner: Blayne Swartz, Bonner Springs High School
Division 1- Wood Only
3rd Place: Zane Deleon, Bonner Springs High School
2nd Place: Braden Weast, Bonner Springs High School
1st Place: Blayne Swartz, Bonner Springs High School
Division 2- Mixed Materials
3rd Place: Seth Kennedy, Bonner Springs High School
2nd Place: Grace Tsen, Bonner Springs High School
3rd Place: Cole Shipman, Bonner Springs High School
1st Place: Levi Williams, Shawnee Mission West High School
Overall Winners
3rd Place: Cole Shipman, Bonner Springs High School
2nd Place: Cameron McCollum, Shawnee Mission West High School
1st Place: Brody Johnston, Shawnee Mission West High School