GOISD presents 'Women In' series to female students

IRONWOOD - Forty local girls learned about Women in Welding on Tuesday and Wednesday through the career and technical education program through the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District.

Students from the Ontonagon, Ewen-Trout Creek, Ironwood, Bessemer and Wakefield-Marenisco school districts attended the event in Ontonagon and at Luther L. Wright School in Ironwood.

According to Paulette Niemi, CTE program coordinator, the event is very popular with students, but has to be limited due to safety concerns.

"We have to limit it to about 20 students each day of the program, so we had 21 from Ontonagon and E-TC on Tuesday and 19 from Ironwood, Bessemer and W-M on Wednesday," Niemi said.

The program is part of the "Women In" series, featuring programs no only in welding, but also in robotics, automotive, and building trades.

"The whole focus is getting girls interested in non-traditional careers through CTE," Niemi said. "Because of these programs, are numbers are up. In welding, we had zero females last year, and this year we have three in Ontonagon. In automotive we also have three new females this year."

This year marked the second time the welding course has taken place for females.

"We didn't have one last year, and I think that really hurt us," Niemi said. "We didn't have any females participate in the welding classes last year. We hope those numbers increase."

In Ontonagon, three second-year female welding students assisted the class, while in Ironwood, five second-year male students helped. Each participant could weld a snowman lawn ornament or a jewelry tree out of metal.

Junior Amber Aldridge, of Bessemer, said she found the program to be educational. Fellow Bessemer student, junior Olivia Romero-Capps said she really enjoyed welding.

"I thought it would be cool to see how it's done," she said. "I think I could do this. It's really fun and we have to show the men we can do this too."

Niemi said, as the program progressed, she saw changes in how the females reacted to welding.

"You could see them taking on more of an initiative with their projects," Niemi said. "They watched the demonstration, and they are now doing it themselves."

Lexi Svoke, a sophomore in Ironwood, said she attended the program because she was interested in welding.

"I have been thinking of taking welding, and decided to see what it was like," Svoke said. "I really enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot."

According to Ironwood sophomore Sarah Carroll, her brother got her interested in welding.

"He is in the welding program and really enjoys it, so I thought I would give it a try," Carroll said. "He is actually here helping us today."

Both Carroll and Svoke are planning on taking the welding program next year as juniors. According to Niemi, the program is open from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. for juniors and seniors and they can receive two credits.

"It's open to all juniors and seniors within the GOISD, which include Ironwood, W-M, Bessemer, Ontonagon, E-TC and Watersmeet," Niemi said.

As for future events, Niemi said "as long as the girls are interested, we'll keep doing it."

"This is all about getting these girls into the program and showing them this is something they can do," Niemi said. "It changes their perceptions of things, and really helps their confidence."

For more information on the CTE program, call Niemi at 906-932-4231.