Alec Comstock of Grant, MI, a student at the Newaygo County Career-Tech Center, took top honors at the First Annual MCC Welding Invitational on May 11.
Awards were presented on May 11 to the winners in the First Annual Muskegon Community College Welding Invitational at MCC’s Sturrus Technology Center Welding Lab and Classroom in downtown Muskegon. In all, 20 students from the Muskegon Tech Center and the Newaygo County Career-Tech Center competed for an MCC scholarship and welding gear
Alec Comstock of Grant, a Newaygo County Career-Tech Center student, won top honors in the overall competition, which includes both a written exam testing their knowledge and a performance test using the shielded metal arc welding process. He was also awarded the scholarship for one free MCC course.
Three Newaygo County Career-Tech Center students took the other three places in the overall competition: Spencer Buozis of Hesperia took second, Hunter Dickinson of Hesperia placed third, and T. J. Railling of Grant was fourth.
Judges also awarded prizes for the top three students in the welding competition alone. Reese Umphrey of Muskegon Tech Center took first, and Newaygo County Career-Tech Center students Benny Gonzales of Grant and Spencer Buozis, took second and third, respectively.
“The competition was outstanding and we had a great turnout,” said Tom Sumerix, MCC welding instructor and coordinator of the Welding Invitational. “The students had a lot of fun and we had the opportunity to witness some quality welding skills on display. We look forward to hosting the competition again next year.”
The students’ work was judged by a committee of professionals working in welding-related fields. Students toured the MCC applied technology facilities and were treated to lunch. The contest was sponsored by MCC, Purity Gas and Welding Supply, Lincoln Electric and Miller Electric.