NIC welding students help high school in need

Students of St. Maries High School were surprised by five new welding booths donated by NIC’s Welding program on March 26^th.

The five new booths, measuring a total of 25 feet were hand-welded by Randy Politto, Ryan Brown, Chase Mathias, and Tim Weingart, all NIC students.  

“This is so great,” said St. Maries High School student Taylor Jestila. “Our welding booths were really dinky.”

Aaron Kolar, another St. Maries high school student agreed.

“[Our welding booths] were way too small,” Kolar said.

In addition to the booths, NIC also donated welding rods and glasses.

St. Maries High School Principal Joe Cordell said his school’s program was in a great need of help.

“This is a huge improvement, without this help it couldn’t have been done,” Cordell said. 

NIC became aware of the high schools need when the college’s Division Chairman of Trades and Industries, Doug Anderson, visited the high school and came back with the news that their welding program could use a boost.

This isn’t the first time the college has surprised a local community. 

Last May, the welding program surprised NIC’s Sandpoint Coordinator Mary Gustafik with a 15-foot, 500-pound bike rack.

Previously NIC’s Welding program has also donated handrails, benches, grills/smokers, bike racks, and metal signs for a variety of organizations in North Idaho.

The donations were the brainchild of NIC Welding instructors Tim Straw, Earl Dreisbach, and Jeremy Dodge.