Apprentices Shine in Western Regional Contest

The sun was just beginning to rise on a crisp Montana morning when Local 1 Oregon/Washington/Idaho/Montana President Shawn Lenczowski announced the start of the annual Western Region Apprentice Contest.

“We are in Missoula, Montana today to celebrate our apprentices from across the Western United States and to watch them compete against each other,” said President Lenczowski to the crowd of over 50 apprentices and their families. “These are all students who have already won their local competitions and are ready to prove themselves as they prepare to journey out.”

The contest consisted of four categories: brick, marble, PCC, and tile. Apprentices worked as quickly and precisely as possible. “If I can win a trophy and take it home to my local, that’s going to give me serious bragging rights,” said Michael Campbell, an apprentice from the Mountain West ADC. “Getting to represent my local, my school, getting to say I am the best in the West? It would be amazing!”

Congratulations to this year’s winners:

Brick:
1st – Peyton Havard – 1WA/AK
2nd – Mario Villaseñor Arreola– Mountain West ADC
3rd – Enrique Navarrete – 1OR/WA/ID/MT

Tile:
1st – Erick Soto Sotelo – 3 CA
2nd – Miguel Salinas – 4 CA
3rd – Martin Quintana Ramirez – 1OR/WA/ID/MT

PCC:
1st – Jess Souza – 3 CA
2nd – Colby Baxter – 1 WA/AK
3rd – Jose Amaya Chávez – 3 CA

Marble:
1st – Michael Campbell – Mountain West ADC
2nd – Oswaldo Larrinaga Jr. – 4 CA
3rd – Axsel Iñiguez Rosales – 3 CA