The first Dragon Classic Build-Off saw the Nacogdoches High School welding team put together a second place finish on March 25 while competing against seven other teams, including Pine Tree and Longview.
The NHS team included Chance Garber, Christian Bach, Rodrigo Medrano and Bryan Rodriguez.
The competition was designed to simulate an authentic scenario in the field of welding and fabrication. Teams arrive at an empty parking lot behind Dragon Stadium with all of the equipment they might need. Then they were provided with a couple of “simple” items… Project plans and materials.
Simulating a true industry job site, the day began with a safety meeting directed by the contest host and judges and Job Safety Analysis forms were distributed for students to fill out and maintain. Once the starting horn sounded, advisors were allowed 15 minutes with their teams before engines fired up.
Roughly seven hours and a lunch break later, the final horn brought everything to a halt for judging. Judges had also visited throughout the day with the teams, rating them on safety and teamwork, completion of the JSA form, craftsmanship and showmanship.
Missouri Welding Institute was a chief sponsor of the build-off and provided scholarship awards to members of the first, second and third place teams. Vocational schools Lincoln Tech and The Ocean Corporation also provided scholarship awards to team members. The total amount of scholarships awarded was $60,000.
Judges included Missouri Welding Institute staff and Pipeliners Local 798, based in Tulsa Okla.
Businesses or industry interested in sponsoring a portion of this event next year are encouraged to reach out to Nacogdoches High School welding teacher Heather Hill via email at hhill@nacisd.org.