Welding students join Exeter-Milligan shop teacher Miranda Hornung in a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday morning in the Exeter shop. Pictured from the left are Devin Harrison, Carver Kanode, Daysan Staskal, Hornung, Cade Kresak, Mikey Bartu, Josh Meyer and Trenton Vossler.
The Exeter-Milligan shop building got a massive make over this summer. Previously, the shop was focused on woodworking and automotive classes and with the retirement of Dean Filipi and the hiring of Miranda Hornung the focus shifted to welding.
An open house and reveal was held on Friday, March 3 with many of those who contributed to the transformation present. Hornung opened the celebration and introduced two students, Cade Kresak and Mikey Bartu, who shared about how the welding program has worked, what they have learned and the results of their recent competition.
Hornung took the opportunity to thank many of the corporations and individuals who helped make the transformation possible. She included Tuttle, Inc., Horizontal Boring and Tunneling, Klute Truck Equipment along with Matheson Gas. Several of the companies donated metal and Tuttle has also loaned a TIG welder and consumables to the program.
Exeter-Milligan/Friend FFA Boosters donated the funds for the welding carts which were placed in each booth.
Some of the extensive renovation included a new air exchange system, new lighting, and new booth areas.
A representative from the SCC welding program recently spoke with the students and Hornung noted that the district will be offering dual credit welding next year.
Hornung noted, “Learning the trade of welding is more vital now than ever before in the agriculture and industrial technology industries. Not only will this shop renovation help students learn and practice welding techniques on different joints and types of metal, but also create career opportunities for their future. Connecting skills that students learn in class with potential job opportunities is a major goal of this program.”
Sheffield concurred, “When discussing a vision for the ag program, by updating the welding area we would be able to offer dual credit welding classes for our students. Our overall goal is to provide more opportunities for our student that can help prepare them for the future.”
The students in current welding classes will be making a metal work table to sit outside of the booths and Hornung hopes to add a water tank for cooling metal.
Hornung hopes to incorporate the welding area in several of her classes, “As part of the ‘8th Grade Ag’ class, students will be introduced to welding through lessons on shop safety and welding equipment identification, and have the chance to spend a couple of weeks in the shop practicing basic joints and completing a small project. For high school grades, first-time welders can take "Introduction to Welding" class to learn the basics of each of the four main welding processes, practice common joints, and complete a project. Once a student completes the introductory course, they have the opportunity to take the Dual-Credit welding course (through SCC) for more advanced welds and college credit. Working in a welding-related career requires individual responsibility and basic foundational skills, so those will be two major focuses of our program.”
Exeter-Milligan shop teacher Miranda Hornung shows the contents of the new welding booths in the Exeter-Milligan shop building during the open house on Friday, March 3.
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