Monache High student heading to SkillsUSA national competition, will take part in cabinetmaking

PORERVILLE, Calif. (KFSN) -- Porterville's Monache High School volition beryllium represented successful a nationalist woodworking contention successful June.

In the woodshop astatine Monache High School, you'll find Ethan Achterberg meticulously making cuts.

He joined the Manufacturing Construction and Technology Academy pathway arsenic a freshman and decided to absorption connected woodworking his elder year.

"When I archetypal came implicit here, I thought I would beryllium much connected the operation side, but I fell successful emotion with woodworking," Ethan said.

The commercialized is successful his humor - his dada and grandpa are some useful and besides took woodworking successful precocious school.

Tim Newby, the MCTA Pathway teacher and woodworking teacher, says Ethan had excessively galore absences during his freshman, sophomore and inferior year, truthful helium was ne'er selected for contests.

But helium says Ethan's earthy endowment was undeniable.

"He'd miss 3 days and beryllium caught up successful a day," Newby said.

Now successful his elder year, his attendance has been excellent, truthful helium was chosen to instrumentality portion successful the Skills USA competition.

He took archetypal spot successful the determination lawsuit held astatine Monache High School and moved connected to the authorities contention with 3 different classmates.

After a time of readying their project, it was clip for students to amusement disconnected their skills by gathering a nightstand.

"They had a heap of wood connected each workstation, we picked our workstations, past they rang a doorbell and we conscionable started working," Ethan said.

But Ethan ran into an contented erstwhile helium chopped 1 of the broadside panels excessively short.

Thankfully, helium was capable to articulation 2 pieces unneurotic to debar immoderate large constituent deductions. Newby wasn't surprised.

"He's precise bully astatine problem-solving," Newby said.

Ethan and his classmate, Marriner Christenson, were lone 2 of 3 students who finished their projects successful the allotted time. With his mistake, Ethan figured he'd beryllium taking location silver, but past the awards were announced and Ethan took location Gold.

Monache students swept the apical 4 spots successful the contention and Ethan secured his summons to Nationals.

After precocious school, he'll beryllium joining the Army National Guard, wherever helium plans to go a carpentry and masonry specialist.

But for present - his absorption remains connected doing good astatine his adjacent competition.

"My wide extremity is of people to get first, but if not, I'd truly similar to place," Ethan said.

Ethan has been spending his Saturdays moving connected a furniture - akin to the 1 he'll person to make astatine nationals.

He leaves for Atlanta, Georgia, the past week of June.

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