COLUMBIA CITY, Ind. (September 26, 2025) — Whitley County Consolidated Schools and Columbia City High School are proud to announce their participation in the inaugural Below the Hook crane competition. The students placed as State Runner-Ups! This groundbreaking event marks a historic milestone for Indiana as students pilot the very first high school crane competition.
Columbia City High School, last year’s recipient of the coveted Golden Shovel award, returned to another competition at Garrett High School to demonstrate proficiency in operating, rigging, and signaling a crane.
Representing Columbia City High School’s Civil Construction CTE pathway were six standout students: Tanner Ellis, Service Academy Junior; Cayden Leighty, Eagle Tech Academy Junior; Riley Wilson, Service Academy Junior; Colton Gerardot, Eagle Tech Academy Junior; Reed Alexander, Innovation Academy Senior; and Carson Henry, Innovation Academy Senior.
“We had three rotations, which were a test. We each had our own part, which we decided before the event. Carson was our Project Manager and the rest of us took on our own roles. I would encourage others who want to be on the team next year to study their knots and rigging and get time on the crane,” said Reed Alexander, Columbia City High School Innovation Academy Senior.
In support of this opportunity, Train for the Crane and Work IN Roads have stepped up to ensure students are equipped with the best possible preparation. Thanks to a generous offer from Tenstar, a global leader in heavy equipment simulation, Columbia City students had access to a state-of-the-art crane simulator for 5–6 days of intensive training.
“We were invited to pilot the competition and we were honored to participate. They are hoping to expand the competition throughout the state and possibly the country to help expose students to careers within the trades that are needed. In Career and Technical Education, we know students just don’t know what they don’t know; we are grateful to provide opportunities like these,” said Jennifer Reiff, Career and Technical Education Director.
In preparation for the event, Train for the Crane visited the whole class to outline expectations and study materials and helped secure the simulator. Additionally, Local 103 hosted a crane training for all of our students with a real crane.
“We’re incredibly proud of our students for embracing this opportunity and leading the way in such an innovative program. When the students committed to wanting to do the competition, I tasked them with learning what they needed to and to come up with a game plan. They really took initiative and did the work on their own, I just made the time in our schedule to help” said Dan Krill, Columbia City High School Civil Construction Instructor.
The Below the Hook competition challenges students to demonstrate precision, safety, and teamwork while operating crane equipment, which are skills that are increasingly vital in today’s workforce. Columbia City High School’s participation underscores its commitment to career exploration and innovation in education.
