On Saturday, April 12, fifteen talented Drafting and Design students from Lockport Township High School District 205 demonstrated their exceptional skills at the 48th Annual Illinois Design Educators Association (IDEA) State Competition, held at Illinois State University.
LTHS students competed in eight categories at the state level and earned a school-record five state championships along with three second-place finishes, marking the most state champions LTHS has earned in a single year. These achievements bring the school’s total to 17 IDEA State Championships.
Path to State
Each of the students qualified for the state competition by placing 1st or 2nd at the regional level. The event featured both individual and team divisions, where students were challenged to apply advanced technical skills, creativity, and precision.
In the individual CAD contests, participants were given complex design problems to solve and illustrate within a strict two-hour time limit. In the team competitions, students worked since January to tackle real-world design challenges. They presented their research, technical drawings, physical models, and final solutions to a panel of judges composed of architects, engineers, college students, and faculty.
🥇 1st Place – State Champions
Architecture Design Team: Gavin Nusko, Aubree Tovar, and Mara Kubis
(Repeat state title for Aubree & Mara)3D Architecture: Gavin Monreal
2D Machine CAD: Nathaniel Rowell
3D Machine CAD: Stephen Reuter
3D Assembly Modeling: Duncan Kenney-Benson
🥈 2nd Place – State Finalists
3D CAD Modeling: David Krzysiak
Engineering Design Team: Kyle Stevens, Joseph Stroner, Jackson Maloney
Introductory CAD: Maha Dissi
Leading the Way
The success of the LTHS Drafting and Design program is a reflection of the guidance and dedication of instructors Jeff Brown and Rodger Ebert, who continue to inspire students toward excellence in technical education.
Congratulations to all our student designers for their outstanding achievements and for proudly representing LTHS with Porter Pride!
