SANDPOINT — The Sandpoint High School welding program has been hard at work this year.

On March 17, welding students competed in the SkillsUSA Regional welding competition. This annual event takes place at North Idaho College’s new welding facility on the Rathdrum prairie.

Sandpoint, Lakeland and KTEC competed in the event sponsored by NIC, Oxarc and AL Compressed Gas.

Ten of Sandpoint’s best welders competed in shielded metal arc welding, flux core arc welding and oxy-acetylene cutting. Ron Korn of the SHS welding team took first place in the oxy-acetylene event.

A total of 22 high school students from Kootenai Technical Education Campus, Lakeland High School and Sandpoint High School participated in the regional Skills USA welding competition hosted by North Idaho College March 17.

NIC welding instructors, students and former students acted as judges in the event. Winners will go on to compete in the statewide Skills USA competition April 7-8 in Nampa.

SkillsUSA results:

- Overall winner: Tavis Woempner, of Lakeland High School

- First place cutting: Ron Korn, from Sandpoint High School

- First place shielded metal arc welding: Hans Wichman, from KTECH

- First place flux-core arc welding: Mason Dunn, from Lakeland High School

Pacific Steel donated all the welding materials while Cd’A Metals, Oxarc and A-L Compressed Gases donated prizes for the top winners, who competed in shielded metal arc welding, flux-core arc welding, and oxygen/fuel cutting.