Putting Welding Skills to Use

Mattituck Jr.-Sr. High School students Kyle Hanus and Allison Murphy have been putting their newly-acquired welding skills to the test. Both students are currently enrolled in the school’s advanced basic metals and welding class and are fabricating a go-cart that they personally designed on their own.

Teacher Stephen Lavinio said the students have done all the work with limited input. “It is rewarding to see when students learn to weld and then realize they are capable of making things on their own,” he said.

Kyle and Allison cut and welded the go-cart’s frame together using material in the school’s shop. They brought their own engine to class and figured out how to make it run. The project required a lot of problem-solving in that the students had to figure out how to mount the engine to the frame and how to tension the chain drive to the rear axle. Another issue was figuring out how to attach the steering wheel to the rack and pinion steering system. The students’ go-cart is still a work of progress, with the wheels being attached in the next week.

The district congratulates Kyle and Allison on their go-cart project. Their efforts are truly an example of the district’s commitment to promoting academic excellence through a rigorous curriculum that challenges students and prepares them for the future.