NEWPORT (Ark.) – Arkansas State University-Newport and Ozarc Gas hosted the 14th annual Weldathon on February 16, 2023, at ASUN-Jonesboro with 42 students and 14 area high schools participating. Thanks to industry partners and sponsors, more than $20,000 in prizes and scholarships were awarded to winners of the Weldathon along with door prizes.

Teams of three competed and were given three hours to build a metal work table. Students were given blueprints and necessary materials to test their welding skills and knowledge.  NEA Career and Tech Center, ASUN's Ignite Academy, Brookland, Greene County Tech, Hillcrest, Hoxie, Marked Tree, Paragould, Piggott, Rector, Riverside, Valley View, Walnut Ridge and Westside High Schools participated in the event. 

High School Division Winners:

First place winners (from left): Instructor Marty Wynn, Harrison McAnally, Seth Couch and Christopher Hellenthal

 
First place in the High School division went to Riverside High School. The school won a Fronius TransSteel 2200 Welding System. Harrison McAnally, Seth Couch and Christopher Hellenthal each received scholarships to ASU-Newport along with a Fronius welding kit and a first place medal.
 

Second place winners (from left): Instructor Caliem Morris, Jacob Angie, Jadius Ortiz and Landon Aiken

 
Valley View High School took second place. The school won a Fronius TransSteel 2200 Welding System. Jacob Angie, Jadius Ortiz and Landon Aiken each received scholarships to ASU-Newport in addition to a Fronius welding kit and a second place medal. 
 

Third place winners (from left): Instructor James Potter, Andrea Pillow, Camden Gramling and Skylar Orr

Third place in the Weldathon went to Paragould High School. The school won a Fronius TransSteel 2200 Welding System. Andrea Pillow, Camden Gramling and Skylar Orr each received scholarships to ASU-Newport along with a ESAB auto-darkening welding hood and a third place medal.

Vocational Division:

First place winners (from left): Instructor Henry Laxton, Travis Allred, Patton Ditto and Jon Barker

First place in the Vocational division went to the NEA Career and Tech Center. The school won a Fronius TransSteel 2200 Welding System. Travis Allred, Patton Ditto and Jon Barker each received scholarships to ASU-Newport along with a Fronius welding kit and a first place medal.
 

Second place winners (from left): Instructor Michael Deckard, Haylee Gentry, Tristen Bly and Dylan Brashers

Second place in the Vocational division went to ASUN's Ignite Academy. The school won a Fronius TransPocket 180 Welding Tool.  Haylee Gentry, Tristen Bly and Dylan Brashers each received scholarships to ASU-Newport along with an ESAB auto-darkening welding hood and a second place medal.

"The NEA Weldathon started 14 years ago to promote the welding industry to our local high schools," said Michael Nowlin, Dean for Applied Science at ASUN. "Students are required to demonstrate all the skill sets used in the welding industry to produce a usable item that will be taken back to their school. This allows students to show off their work to future students and allows the instructor to critique the part and help them know where they need to focus their efforts. The NEA Weldathon is also a great opportunity to connect students with the industries that are looking for a highly skilled workforce. These companies need welders, and this is an opportunity for industry to reach their future employees." 

This competition would not be possible without industry supporters and sponsors. Diamond sponsors for the Weldathon were Arkansas State University-Newport, Big River Steel, FMH Conveyors, Fronius USA, LLC., The Greenbrier Companies, Post Holdings, Inc. and Ozarc Gas Equipment & Supply, Inc.. Platinum sponsors included Ace Industrial Products, Best Manufacturing, ESAB Welding and Cutting, JMS Russel Metals, Trinity Rail and Workforce Training Consortium. The Systems Group was the Gold sponsor for the event. Silver sponsors were Great Dane Trailers and Hypertherm Associates. Bronze sponsors included Profax/Lenco, Scotchman Industries, Service Specialists, LLC and Southern Cast Products.

For more photos from the event click here.