Area high school students compete in Southern Regional Tech welding competition

MOULTRIE — Local high school students competed in a recent welding competition hosted by Southern Regional Technical College and Colquitt County High School and sponsored by Jones Welding and Lincoln Electric.

Forty-three students participated in the competition to compete against each other for a chance to win the grand prize of a 140-amp GMAW welding machine, a Lincoln welding hood, a welding jacket, welding gloves, a welding cap, a bag for carrying welding gear, and a $1,000 SRTC scholarship.

The competition aimed to foster healthy competition while highlighting the importance of welding skills in today’s industrial landscape. Participants demonstrated their proficiency in various welding techniques and put their welding skills on display using the Shielded Metal Arc Welding process in horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions with E7018 and E6010 electrodes.

SRTC welcomed students from Baconton Community Charter School, Colquitt County High School, Miller County High School, Mitchell County High School, SRTC/Home School, Thomas County Academy, Thomas County Central High School, Thomasville High School, Tift County High School, Valdosta High School and Worth County High School.

The top 10 finishers of the competition include first-place finisher Ryder Harrell from Thomas County Central High School; second place, Cason Roberts from Worth County High School; third place Preston Riggins from Baconton Community Charter School; fourth place, Dane Frock from Baconton Community Charter; fifth place, Mia Boyd from Valdosta High School; sixth place, Luke Roberson from Thomas County Central High School; seventh place, Sullivan Ochs from SRTC/Home School; eighth place, Colby Bishop from Thomas County Academy; ninth place, Juan Angeles from Tift County High School; and 10th place, Mason Horace from Miller County High School.

The instructors who mentored these students and prepared them for this competition include Travis Barrett from Thomas County Central High School, Brad Braswell from SRTC/Colquitt County High School, Micah Canrine from SRTC/Miller County High School, Carlton Denton from SRTC/Tift County High School, Myles Foister from SRTC/Colquitt County High School, Karl Kemper from SRTC/Baconton Community Charter School/Mitchell County High School, Clifton Taylor from SRTC/Baconton Community Charter School/Thomasville High School/Thomas County Academy/Mitchell County High School, Jace Tison from SRTC/Worth County High School, and Michael Warmack from Valdosta High School.

The competition drew a strong field of talented young welders from across the region, officials said. The following 43 students represented their schools::

• Baconton Community Charter School: Dane Frock (4th place), Blayton Hughes, Dylan Kooyman, Boyd O’neal, Preston Riggins (3rd place)
• Colquitt County High School: Alexander Barajas, Martin Garcia, Geynar Gonzalez, Elijah Jenkins, Kayden Moser
• Miller County High School: Mason Horace (10th place), Desiree Jackson, Fletcher Long
• Mitchell County High School: Marvin Cooper, Macaleb Ford, John Moore
• SRTC/Home School: Sullivan Ochs (7th place)
• Thomas County Academy: Colby Bishop (8th place)
• Thomas County Central High School: Jasper Castleberry, Kinsey Clements, Leland Dees, Frank Garbett, Destin Gosett, Ryder Harrell (1st place), Turner Horne, Brody Jennings, Blake Laidman, Luke Roberson (6th place), Linwood Stone, Jayden Wilson
• Thomasville High School: Kadyn Mirick
• Tift County High School: Juan Angeles (9th place), Daniel Soto
• Valdosta High School: Mia Boyd (5th place), Jabori Elliott, Shavion McGriff, Samuel Turner
• Worth County High School: Cully Hendley, Justin Kimsey, Luke Owens, Cooper Pendley, Jackson Perrin, Cason Roberts (2nd place)

SRTC hosted the event to give high school students exposure to cutting-edge welding technologies and innovative techniques, while equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in this industry.

For more information about Welding and Joining at SRTC, visit https://southernregional.edu/college-catalog/current/programs/welding—joining-technology.

Southern Regional Technical College offers more than 150 degree, diploma, and certificate programs that are designed to get students quickly into their desired careers, and 38 general education courses that transfer to the University System of Georgia institutions and 19 private colleges and universities in Georgia. SRTC has instructional sites located in 11 counties across southwest Georgia for the convenience of its students.

. For the most up-to-date information on registration, class dates, and program offerings, interested individuals can log on to www.southernregional.edu or call (888) 205-3449. Summer semester begins May 19.