Not pictured: Tyler McCoy
Two OHS seniors recently took first place in an ABC-sponsored competition in the school's first year of participation.
Last year, the OHS Applied Technology Department took several students to the competition to observe. This year, Applied Technology teachers encouraged as many teams as possible to enter. With several welder and construction students competing, OHS lacked an electrical team. Brett Graham, who had taught Intro to Electricity and Electronics the previous year, recruited seniors Alex Lingren and Tyler McCoy. The pair worked well together and had performed well in the course.
The competition involved wiring an interior house wall, including four outlets, four switches, and two lights in four hours. The two students worked with district electrician, Lindsey Beinhart, to gain additional experience. "We came in at 6 a.m. every day for two weeks," said Lingren. A local electrical supplier, 3E, also donated approximately $2,000 worth of supplies to use for practice. The extra effort paid off.
Lingren said preparing for the competition taught him team work, increased his electrical knowledge, and improved his problem-solving skills. Both seniors plan to pursue a trade after graduation. McCoy, who graduated at semester, is seeking an electrical apprenticeship. Lingren will attend Indian Hills after graduation to pursue an automotive degree, having taken every automotive course offered. With high school courses in metals and electricity, he hopes to become a "jack of all trades," he said. Proof of this is the restored 1970 GMC truck he rebuilt with his dad. The truck is his transportation to school and work every day.
