Making the Grade

Student in the Spotlight

A Two-Year Trail Leads to Championship

Two years after enrolling in a masonry class at Maplewood Career Center in Ravenna, Ohio, Blake Goodyear won the secondary division (high school) of the SkillsUSA-VICA National Masonry Competition held this past summer at the H. Roe Bartle Hall in Kansas City, Mo.

Goodyear's mother comments, "God has given him the ability to work with his hands, and Blake's very competitive. We are very proud of him." His instructor, Rich Nagy, echoes those comments. "Blake is very dedicated. He not only wanted to win the competition, he buckled down and worked hard at it."

The admiration is mutual, as Goodyear says that his development in masonry would not have been the same without the influence of Nagy.

Goodyear recently began a three-year masonry apprenticeship program while continuing to work for MCAA member firm Moser Construction in Rootstown, Ohio. Company owner Terry Moser says, "From what I've seen, Blake is very talented and we are most impressed with his dedication and drive. I look for nothing but good things in his future."

A well-rounded young man with a variety of interests, Goodyear played football and basketball in high school, helping out with expenses by working at AutoZone. Each night after work, he works at his hobby — restoring cars. He's currently working on a '78 Ford following completion of a '68 Mustang.

Note: If you have an apprentice mason to nominate, contact:
J. David Holt,
c/o Holt Marketing Group, Inc.,
1906 Swift, North Kansas City, MO 64116
or fax to 816/842-9989.