2024 High School Welding Competition

Cleveland Community College held its third annual high school welding competition on Friday, May 3. Competitors from Crest High School dominated this year’s competition, taking all three of the top prizes.

Corey Dubesko from IMA and Curtis Rippy from Maco served as judges for the competition. This was Rippy’s third year serving as a judge. “I think this is a good thing, to see these young people coming up in welding, because we need welders,” Rippy said.

Dubesko and Rippy evaluated the competitors’ skills on GMAW and SMAW welding techniques. Each competitor was given instructions and access to supplies to complete the welding tasks. They had about two hours to complete the required welds.

Madison Lemons, a senior at Crest High School, was the overall winner. “I really love welding and I hope to be a welder someday,” she said. Her prizes included a welding hood, TIG rig holder with rig, a cooler and various supplies.

Lemons’ teammates from Crest, Dillan Kirby and Caleb Barr, took second and third place respectively. Kirby was presented with a welding bag, welding hood, cooler, and various supplies. Barr received a grinder, welding hood, cooler, and supplies.

The competition would not be possible without help from the instructors at each of the high schools. In addition to teaching and encouraging the students, they accompany them to this competition to cheer them on. “This is a good competition because it gives the kids a chance to showcase their talents and skills and how they are preparing the for workforce,” said Shelby High School instructor Rick Greene.

In addition to the overall winners, judges chose a top competitor from each school to receive a $750 scholarship to attend CCC’s welding program.

Sergio Saurez was selected as the top competitor from Kings Mountain High School. He received a CCC Foundation Scholarship.

Lemons was the top competitor from Crest High School. She received the Michael David Scott Parsons Scholarship. Parsons was a student at Crest High School who planned to attend CCC’s welding program. After his untimely death, Parsons’ family and friends established this scholarship to honor his memory.

Eli Patterson was the top competitor from Shelby High School. He received the Gabe Dibruno Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship was created after the untimely death of Dibruno, a sophomore at Shelby, who participated in this welding competition shortly before his death.

There were no competitors from Burns High School this year.