Lake Land to host high school welding competition

MATTOON — Lake Land College is hosting its first-ever welding competition for area high school students on Thursday, March 26. The competition will be from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

During the event, participating students will compete against each other in the Lake Land College welding lab, showcasing their skills and putting their proficiency to the test by completing multi-position welds.

A total of 58 juniors and seniors will compete in the event, representing 14 area high schools. They include Beecher City, Charleston, Cowden-Herrick, Cumberland, Effingham, Mattoon, Neoga, Paris, Ramsey, Shelbyville, South Vermillion, Stewardson-Strasburg, Sullivan, and Teutopolis.

“We’re excited to welcome so many high school students to campus for our first-ever welding competition,” said Tessa Wiles, Director of Dual Credit. “This event is a fun, supportive opportunity for students to show off their skills and get a firsthand look at what our welding program has to offer.”

Following the welding period, each contestant’s work will receive a grade from a judging panel of professional welders. The three highest-scoring juniors and three highest-scoring seniors will all take home prizes. Among those prizes are professional welding gear to support future welding ambitions. The top-scoring senior will also receive a $500 Lake Land College tuition and fee waiver.

The Lake Land College High School Welding Competition is made possible by sponsors and judges representing the following industry partners: Boilermakers, Brudertank, Evapco, Irwin Seating, McFarland Steel, New York Blower, Safety Storage, and Weldstar.

For more information about the competition, contact the Dual Credit office at (217) 234-5044 or [email protected].

Media interested in covering the welding competition can contact Communications Engagement Coordinator Aaron Wendt at (217) 234-5408 or [email protected].

Jake Leonard, Executive Editor-In-Chief

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Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.

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