The new welding program at South Central High School is getting a boost from the Masons.
The Brethren of Kinmundy Lodge #398 in partnership with the Grand Lodge of Illinois, Ancient and Free and Accepted Masons, has provided three welders through the Illinois Masonic Children’s Assistance Program. In addition, the lodge will also be presenting at least four $500 scholarships to vocational students towards the end of the school year to help fill the need for skilled labor in the community.
The donations came after vocational teacher Travis Mulvaney explained the new welding program to the chair of the lodge’s scholarship committee Clayton Keen.
Mulvaney noted the welding program started this year with three units bought by the school district. He says the program started when some of the students were intrigued by the soldering process during an electricity unit.
After some discussion with the students and faculty, Mulvaney approached the administration about starting a welding program and they were all for it. Mulvaney is currently teaching one course to 6 students. He says when learning the course would be more beneficial to the students if they each had a welder to work with, the Kinmundy Lodge Scholarship Committee contacted the Grand Lodge of Illinois, who agreed to purchase the welders for the school.
Student Mitchell Brauer uses the gun while Ethan Watwood holds the metal
