Braidy bunch and updo girls medal

A combination of braiding, twisting, knots and ropes added up to the junior-level hairdressing challenge at the Lakeland Regional Skills Canada competition.

That also kind of sums up the butterflies the youngest competitors faced in the 90-minute event held in the Lakeland College Hairdressing Salon on March 10.

Some of the intermediates were also nervous Nellies who were tasked with replicating a bridal updo from a photo while working with mannequin heads as judges ticked checkboxes on clipboards.

In the end, Princess Depaculang from Holy Rosary High School (HRHS) controlled her tummy demons to win the junior event and will head to the provincials in Edmonton May 2-3 with her runner-up Grade 12 schoolmate, Preema Nathan.

“I was pretty excited. This was the first time I have ever been in a competition and the first time I won,” said Depaculang with a gold medal around her neck.

Another Grade 12 HRHS student, Rose Rusteika, revealed her calming secret to capturing the first place intermediate medal to punch her ticket to Edmonton with classmate Aleshia Rieland.

“Take a couple of deep breaths because I was really nervous and just go for it,” Rusteika explained.

Debbie Minish, one of the three judges, explained the competitors were evaluated on everything from creativity and balance of design to quality of design and how close it replicated the photo.

“Obviously, hair is very subjective, so in the end, the three scores go together, then we determine the first, second and third place winner,” said Minish.

There were four students in the interme - diate and five in the junior category.

“They have an amazing talent for as young as they are,” added Minish.

The hairstylists on site were among 50 students in the region taking part in various skills competitions at Lakeland’s Lloydminster and Vermilion campuses.

Only the top-two from each skill go on to provincials.

Alycia Pawluk, manager of programming and education with Skills Canada in Edmonton, works with partners like Lakeland College to set up regional competitions and thinks these com - petitions are incredibly important for students.

“It helps showcase the career opportunities and education opportunities that are available for students in trades and technologies,” said Pawluk

“This is a great opportunity to try their hand at some of these things and see if it’s something they do want to go to school for or even further to have a career in.”

A career in hairstyling was a thought not often entertained by Depaculang until the judges named her the junior winner.

“It’s an option now. Before it wasn’t,” she said.

It was the same for Rusteika, who finished first among the intermediates with school - ing for the hairstyling trade in her mind.

“I’m thinking about it, actually the Lakeland program,” she said.