160 High Schoolers Test Their Knowledge at Ridgewater Skills Fest
February 28, 2025
WILLMAR and HUTCHINSON, MN – More than 150 students from 17 regional high schools tested their hands-on skills and knowledge at the 38th Annual Skills Fest event at Ridgewater College, Willmar Campus, on Friday, February 14.
Challenges, activities and tests targeted several primary categories: agriculture, automotives, nursing, veterinary medicine, and welding.
“We are really happy with the turnout and the impact of Skills Fest,” said Stephanie Holland, Ridgewater Career Services coordinator and event co-coordinator. “Our faculty and departments create such unique opportunities for students to participate in hands-on and competitive challenges. The energy of this event is always so positive and engaged. We look forward to it every year because of what our high school partner students bring to this event.”
In some categories, students practice activities at their high schools and then attend to compete against students from other high schools. In other categories, students may study information before the event and then test to score the highest or fastest at Skills Fest.
The event culminates with a ceremony that celebrates and awards the top three individual or team placings in each category with plaques. In addition, first-place winners receive $500-semester scholarships from the Ridgewater College Foundation to support future educational goals. For a winner eventually choosing a two-year program at Ridgewater, that $500 per semester could turn into $2,000.
First-place winners came from 12 different schools. Schools attending the 2025 event included Willmar, Minneota, Hancock, Little Falls, Fergus Falls, Howard Lake – Waverly – Winsted, DREAM Technical Academy, Holdingford, Albany, Redwood Valley, Morris, New London-Spicer, Sauk Centre, Cambridge- Isanti, Belgrade-Brooten -Elrosa, Wright Technical Center, and Renville County West.
