27J welding students shine in regional competition

Fourteen 27J students earned the right to participate in the State Welding Competition that will be held in April. The students are in the combined Brighton High School and Prairie View High School Welding III program and participated in the District Welding Competition hosted at PVHS Friday, Feb. 19. The students who qualified for state are Chelsea Bridge, Dean deGroot, Trevor Jackson, Eric Rodman, Chad MacNeilly, Ben Muir, Marcus Sena, Zachary Cotter, Zachary Claassen, Neil Cade, Chelsea Gonwa, Cullen Arthur, Carly Nowak, and Cody Smidt.

In the welding portion of the competition, the top three students from Prairie View are Chelsea Bridge, first place; Trevor Jackson, second place; and Chad MacNeilly, third place. The top three BHS students are Dean deGroot, first place; Ben Muir, second place; and Eric Rodman, third place.

PVHS welding instructor James Cade noted that “Chelsea Bridge is our first female to take first place in this competition.”

PVHS/BHS students also won first place in Chapter Display. Those students are Neil Cade (BHS), Marcus Sena (PVHS), Trevor Jackson (PVHS), Zachary Cotter (PVHS), Zachary Claassen (PVHS), Chelsea Bridge (PVHS), Chelsea Gonwa (PVHS), and Cullen Arthur (PVHS).

BHS student Dean deGroot placed second in Chapter Display.

First place in the Promotional Board competition went to Carly Nowak and Cody Smidt, both of PVHS. Nowak also captured first place in the Prepared Speech contest.

Cade credited several area businesses with supporting the 27J welding program and the competition with materials, supplies and time worth several thousands of dollars.

Dave Fischer from General Welding donated $1,000 dollars in prizes. David Atkins from Redd Iron Inc. donated $4,000 dollars in steel for the project for the welding competition. Lance Rainwater from WyoTech donated $300 dollars in jackets for prizes.

Aaron Miller from Northwest Pipe and David Atkins from Redd Iron Inc. spent the day judging the contest, Cade said.

“These donations of materials and time help make the competition what it is.”