Girls shine in Choffin welding, machining, collision programs

YOUNGSTOWN

Auto collision repair, welding and precision machining: They’re not just for male students at Choffin Career and Technical Center anymore.

“I have four [juniors who are girls] in my program, and they are buzz saws out there,” said Bob Morrell, Choffin’s instructor in precision machining.

Welding instructor Patrick Prokop said girls have better fine-motor skills, which give them an advantage in the craft.

Gregory Henderson, instructor in auto collision repair, said girls’ attention to detail make them ideal for the field.

Erica Roman, Alize Allen and Caitlin Braun, all 16, and Sydney Leonhiser, 17, are juniors in the program and still in the early stages of learning the skill.

Sahara Buggs Crum is a senior.

“She is my top student,” Morrell said of the senior. “She’s going to compete in Skills USA.”

Read more about the program and the trend in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.