Original publish date: Sep. 26, 2022
Credits: Gray Television News 12 KXII, Chanel Young
BELLS, Texas (KXII) - Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Bells Independent School District received a great amount of financial support and career training for its welding program. The grant allows the student welders of Bells High School to make the most of new and improved welding technology.
“I’m having a bunch of fun in here learning different projects, different types of welds, all sorts of stuff,” Anthony Leonard said.
The school received a $64,000 grant called Jobs and Education for Texans, or JET. The grant, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), reportedly helps the high school install equipment to train students for careers in welding technology, which is a career route many Bells ISD students are fond of.
“It feels amazing that we would get a grant from Texas Workforce Commission,” Bells ISD student welder Anthony Leonard said. “I just want to thank them very much for giving us that grant and allowing us to have that amount of equipment we need to do multiple different projects throughout the school year.”
TWC and members of the program said this career training will prepare students for high demand jobs, now and for years to come.
Taylor Mcgrew, an Agriculture of Science teacher at Bells ISD said, “Now that we’ve got newer technology, it’s what they’re going be seeing, not only in the workplace, but in any kind of certification they get through college or additional schooling.”
Bells ISD student welder Koehler High added, “[The grant] will just give a lot of our underclassmen a lot of opportunities you wouldn’t have without the grant, and it’ll be a big step for them in the long run.”
According to TWC, the grant prepares over 60 students the tools and training they need to succeed in the welding industry.
“This grant has already taken this program to a whole new level,” Mcgrew said. “The kids are very, very grateful.”
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