Maritime Welders Launch Boat Projects

Will their mighty metal boats float?  That is the question that Mount Si High School’s Advanced Welding students, who are learning maritime welding, have been asking all semester.  And on Tuesday, June 3, they got their answers! 

Thanks to a generous CorePlus Maritime Grant, Mount Si’s welding program was able to offer advance students the hands-on experience of constructing real metal boats, approximately 5 feet wide by 10 feet long. This $40,000 grant awarded to the school’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program helped purchase four boat kits, welding hoods, tools and supplies.  Additionally, several students earned their boaters’ certification, to coincide with the course and their future career goals.  

On June 2, the students tested their projects’ sea worthiness, launching their boats from the sunny shores of Rattlesnake Lake in North Bend. The result was “Seaworthy Success!”– sparking whoops of joy from students and CTE staff, as well as sighs of relief from those on-board wearing flotation vests. Congratulations to all our aspiring welders who contributed to this impressive work!   

We also appreciated that Mr. Buban (who formerly owned an underwater welding business) invited his son, an emergency responder trained in water rescue, to this exciting maiden voyage to ensure it was a safe one. What a memorable learning experience and fun way to “test” their boats!

A hearty shout-out to all of Mount Si High School's CTE teachers, including welding teacher Mike Buban and construction/woods teacher Gregg Meyers, and so many more, for bringing real-world experiences and memorable lessons to our students. You are inspiring the next generation of highly-skilled workers for high-demand trades and rewarding careers!