UPPER LAKE >> If high school is a time for cementing lifelong friendships, imagine what a good groove, plug or butt weld could do for that relationship.
Welding, a skill unto itself, is among the more popular classes being offered right now at Upper Lake High School thanks to a grant the school applied for and received last year. Chris Decker, who teaches several sections of welding right now, brings real-life experience to the classroom where students are learning a skill that could benefit them for a lifetime.
And there’s another thing you should know about a most useful trade being offered by the often maligned public school system. This class is fully co-educational. In fact, Upper Lake’s female students are not only enjoying the welding class every bit as much as their male counterparts, but they’re excelling at it.
“Some of my girls can weld some of my guys under the table,” Decker said with a laugh. “I have students who have picked it up so fast this year they could go weld with someone this summer and make some money. They don’t have advanced skills yet, but after another yet they could be ready to get a job in the commercial sector. They’re that good.”
Decker, 26, isn’t much older than some of the students in his class but the Southern California transplant, who relocated north and earned his college degree and teaching credential, brings plenty of practical experience to the classroom.
“My aunt and uncle lived in Willits and I wanted a change (after high school),” Decker said.
He attended Mendocino College and later Sacramento State while earning his credential. A seasonal firefighter with CAL FIRE for a time, Decker turned to full-time welding to better support himself and he traveled all around the country as an employee of Waneshear Technologies of Ukiah helping with the installation of multi-million dollar saw machinery equipment. He has seven years of professional welding experience to his credit.
“I was making real good money welding,” Decker said of life in the private sector. “I loved it.”
When Upper Lake High School applied and received a grant to offer welding classes, the first thing they needed was a qualified teacher. Decker heard about it, applied for the job and got it.
Does he miss the private sector now that he’s a teacher?
“It’s a different pace, that’s for sure, but I love what I’m doing,” Decker said. “I want to show them (students) what they’ll need to be successful in the private sector, the kind of work ethic they’ll need. It’s super rewarding being able to do that and get them ready for what’s ahead.”
“We got him because of the grant,” Upper Lake Middle School administrator and Upper Lake High School coach and athletic director Mike Smith said of Decker.
“Our superintendent (Pat Iaccino) and our FFA adviser, Erica Boomer, spearheaded getting the grant,” Smith said. “Without them this wouldn’t have been possible.”
Even with the the funding for the program in place and a teacher onboard, a significant amount of work was needed to prepare the building that now houses the welding classes.
“We had to rewire the entire building,” Decker said. “And we had to install the (six) welding stations. We want to have 10 stations eventually.”
Decker said the business community came through in a big way to make the building both safe and operational for the welding and FFA construction classes it now holds. Mendo Forest Products, AAA Welding of Lakeport, Stokes Ladders of Kelseyville, Coastal Mountain Electric of Lower Lake and JB Electric and Upper Lake alum Jeff Birge all contributed to the project.
“They were all great,” Decker said.
The classes are quite popular with Upper Lake students, many of whom appreciate not being confined to the traditional classroom.
Smith said he knew the welding class was making a big impression one night while driving the team van home from a girls basketball game. No fewer than four of Smith’s varsity players — Natalie Karlsson, Dakota Fugate, Delaney Love and Ashley Aceves –— are enrolled in the welding class as are Crystal Carroll of the cross country team and Adriana Lopez of the wrestling team.
Smith said the usual topics of discussion were not part of that night’s ride home.
“They were talking about welding … that’s all they were talking about,” Smith said. “It was serious business with them.”
“It was something new and I hadn’t tried anything like that before,” said Lopez, a sophomore standout and state medalist this past season on the girls wrestling team. “It was hard in the beginning learning all of the safety stuff but I got the hang of it really quick and I got really good at it,” she said. “My uncle uses welding all the time (in his business).”
Added Lopez, “It’s probably my favorite class. Working with Mr. Decker, he’s a really good teacher and he helps us with so much.”
Bryan Minton, also a sophomore who was working with Lopez during a recent class, is among the top students in the welding class, according to Decker.
“I had some previous experience welding at home with my dad,” Minton said. “I’m still learning. It should be a good trade to have.”
Indeed it is, according to Decker.
According to a national survey, welders make between $17-$25 an hour but several factors are at play including geography, the company you work for, and experience level. Upper-end welders bring in closer to $30 an hour, according to Decker.
“You make a lot more if you own your own business,” he said.
Minton said the welding class actually brought him to Upper Lake from Lakeport.
“I’m more of a hands-on guy and a class like this helps me out a bunch. This class is what brought me to this school. They didn’t have this where I was going to school before.”
And if Upper Lake didn’t offer welding?
“I probably wouldn’t be here,” he said.
Fugate, a straight-A student headed into the Navy after she graduates from Upper Lake later this spring, said she enjoys welding and believes the skill will help her down the road when she’s training to be a submarine technician.
Would she recommend the class to friends?
“Oh, for sure,” she said.
In fact, two of her friends, Carroll and Francisco Flores, are already enrolled.
Karlsson, who broke the county’s single-season scoring record in basketball earlier this year, said the welding class affords her more independence than more traditional high school courses.
“We can make whatever we want,” said Karlsson, who was busy welding together numerous horseshoes that will soon be crafted into two chairs and a table.
As for her teacher, Decker, Karlsson gave him a big thumbs up.
“He’s cool,” she said.
Another of Upper Lake’s basketball players, junior Delaney Love, likes everything about the welding class.
“It’s something different and it’s a special skill I can put on my resume like speaking French,” she said. “I look forward to it because I get time every day to do something I normally wouldn’t be able to do.”
Love said she’s already pretty good at welding and hopes to improve even more next year when she’s working on a special project.
“I’m not sure what that’s going to be but hopefully I’ll have all the skills to do it,” she said.
Love said she is even interested in competing in welding competitions, which is a far cry from her first few days in the welding class.
“The first time I welded I was in tears, I was afraid,” she said.
And now?
“No fear,” she said.
The beginning welders in Decker’s class concentrate on gas, arc and mig welding while doing simple projects for the most part.
“By the time they’re second-year students, I hope to have them come in with the necessary skills to build something special.”
