Hilkemann Builds Quality Products With Hands

Wolf Point High School senior Ryan Hilkemann likes working with his hands and has produced some impressive products.

His ability can easily be seen in front of the high school’s industrial arts room where one of his seven tailgate benches sits.

“I got the idea on the internet,” Hilkemann said of the benches. Last year, he made five of the pieces and he has created two so far this school year.

He donated one of his tailgate benches for the Stampede auction. Two other ones have been sold to substitute teacher John Plestina.

Hilkemann’s main hobby is working on pickups with his father.

“We build pickups and cars in the garage,” Ryan noted.

In the classroom, his favorites subjects are wood shop and metal shop. His favorite teacher is RC Page.

Hilkemann’s school activities include playing trumpet for the school’s pep band and jazz band.

“It’s so fun,” he said of pep band. “I’ve been playing in the pep band since the sixth grade.”

Russell Johnson has been his music instructor since the fifth grade when both of them were at Frontier School..

“We moved to Wolf Point the same year,” Hilkemann said.

After high school, Hilkemann plans to attend Montana Bible College in Billings and take general studies.

He used to want to become a mechanic, but right now he’s unsure of his career path.

“Cars are moving to electric so much, I really don’t think that I want to do that.”

He is considering going into a trade field.

The Wolf Point native appreciates the community.

“I like the small town atmosphere and how everybody knows everybody,” he said.