Mother said, don’t jump on the bed. But Algonquin welding and fabrication students are challenging that life lesson.
The welding and fabrication program is welding beds to take part in Winterlude’s Kiwanis Club bed race, which takes place at Dow’s Lake Feb. 7.
The welding and fabrication program is building 12 beds.
Six beds are being made on behalf of the college as a whole and six are being contributed directly by welding and fabrication class.
One of the best aspects of the project for students is the fact that they get practical, hands-on experience for a good cause. It also doesn’t hurt that racing beds is a lot of fun.
Welding students will be forming a team to race the beds.
“Everyone is getting good experience from it,” said Taylor Redmond, second-semester welding and fabrication student.
“Everyone is doing their part, everyone’s put in good work.”
The whole project has taken about 40 hours to complete. The students have used their class time for the last few weeks to complete the beds.
There is a decent amount of theory involved in the welding program, but some also appreciate when they can apply what they are learning in the classroom to a larger project.
“We do countless hours of just small pieces of metal and just cutting lines and stuff,” said Jeff McKeen, second-semester welding student.
“It is nice when you get to put it all together.”
This is the third year in a row in which the college has participated in the Kiwanis Club bed race.
“The Kiwanis Club contacted the college and my colleague Mark Bowen. He did it for the first two years,” said Jeff Ross, welding and fabrication coordinator and instructor.
“This year I took the initiative and ran with it.”