Nick Werner

Swayde Morgan

Pike Central Vocational Welding students Forest Park senior Nick Werner placed second and Forest Park senior Swayde Morgan placed third at the Skills USA Welding Contest held at J. Everett Light Career Center in Indianapolis on April 20.

Werner received a $7,500 scholarship to Ohio Technical College in Cleveland, Ohio, a $5,000 scholarship to Lincoln Tech in Indianapolis and welding-related prizes. Morgan received a $5,000 scholarship to Ohio Technical College in Cleveland, Ohio, a $2,500 scholarship to Lincoln Tech in Indianapolis and welding-related prizes.

The students competed against 25 state qualifiers throughout the state using the gas tungsten arc welding, gas metal arc welding and shielded metal arc welding welding processes and oxy-acetylene cutting to construct a project from blueprints. Also included in the competition was a 100-question welding-related written test.

Other students competing in the contest were Pike Central seniors Gage Cummings and Caleb Thomas and Forest Park senior Elliott Wiseman.