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Students Put Skills to the Test at First- Ever“ Below the Hook” High School Crane Rigging Competition
When Garrett High School in Garrett, Indiana, hosted the inaugural Below the Hook Competition the innovative event introduced high school students to crane operations and rigging while building pathways toward future careers in the construction and heavy equipment industries.
The competition brought together students from Garrett High School, Columbia City High School and Anthis Career Center in Fort Wayne, part of the Fort Wayne Community Schools system. Each school fielded a five-person team competing in multiple skill categories that reflected real-world crane operation challenges, including rigging, signaling and safety.
Training the Next Generation
In preparation for the event, Garrett Career Development Program( CDP) students trained with Train For The Crane, a company that delivers on-site crane operator training programs nationwide. Students honed their skills on the Tenstar simulator, gaining hands-on experience in a safe, controlled environment before competition day.
Train For The Crane’ s instructors
provided professional-level instruction, combining classroom theory with practical application. Students learned proper communication, rigging safety and crane signaling while also preparing for written certification exams. Emphasis was placed on professionalism and responsibility— skills
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November 2025 • www. cranehotline. com