Wawasee Board Members Get First Look At New Welding Building

January 10, 2018 at 6:13 p.m.

By Justin Perry-

SYRACUSE – What used to be the old VFW building in Syracuse is now a state-of-the-art welding facility for Pathways and Wawasee School Corporation.

The welding program is taught by Jesse Kimmel and Jeremiah Paseka. Paseka is a 2007 graduate of Warsaw Community High School.

The two attended the Wawasee School Board meeting Tuesday to discuss the building to board members. The space could accommodate up to 26 students a session with two sessions a day.

Along with them was student Trevor Skeens.

“I took welding because my whole family was into welding … I wanted to explore it,” said Skeens, “It’s an opportunity to lead me into my future.”

Skeens is one of 30 students in the welding program at Wawasee.

The space will be used for not only high school classes, but post-secondary education and adult education.

Jon Everingham is the CTE director at Pathways and works with Columbia City, Fairfield and Wawasee. Everingham is already in contact with Ivy Tech about a dual credit opportunity.

When asked about the “dream turned reality,” Everingham said, “It gives our students who aren’t looking at going to college an excellent employment opportunity that can pay rewards for a lifetime.”

“We’re in a business to change lives in a positive way, this building is going to give us the opportunity to do that,” he said.

The space includes a classroom, changing rooms, office spaces, welding tables and a plasma table. Kimmel said, “We have an abundance of space and we plan to use that.” The classroom will be furnished in just weeks.

Other programs that Wawasee offer through Pathways include radio/TV, sports and entertainment marketing, emergency medical services, computer tech support and aviation operations.

Members of the school board held a short meeting in the newly renovated building used for welding trades before taking a tour of it.

The board approved a motion re-electing Rebecca Linnemeier as president, Rob Fisher as vice president, Don Bokhart as secretary, Amanda Jackson as recording secretary and James Flecker was appointed board attorney. Jim Evans and Sandy Hollar will serve as corporation treasurer and deputy treasurer, respectively.

Members also established a stipend of $2,000 plus $110 per regular meeting and $60 for special session. These monies will be paid quarterly and capped at $6,000.

Meetings will take place on the second Tuesday each month, with the exception of April and January, which will be on the third Tuesday. Each meeting will start at 5:30 p.m. in the Wawasee High School Warrior Room.



SYRACUSE – What used to be the old VFW building in Syracuse is now a state-of-the-art welding facility for Pathways and Wawasee School Corporation.

The welding program is taught by Jesse Kimmel and Jeremiah Paseka. Paseka is a 2007 graduate of Warsaw Community High School.

The two attended the Wawasee School Board meeting Tuesday to discuss the building to board members. The space could accommodate up to 26 students a session with two sessions a day.

Along with them was student Trevor Skeens.

“I took welding because my whole family was into welding … I wanted to explore it,” said Skeens, “It’s an opportunity to lead me into my future.”

Skeens is one of 30 students in the welding program at Wawasee.

The space will be used for not only high school classes, but post-secondary education and adult education.

Jon Everingham is the CTE director at Pathways and works with Columbia City, Fairfield and Wawasee. Everingham is already in contact with Ivy Tech about a dual credit opportunity.

When asked about the “dream turned reality,” Everingham said, “It gives our students who aren’t looking at going to college an excellent employment opportunity that can pay rewards for a lifetime.”

“We’re in a business to change lives in a positive way, this building is going to give us the opportunity to do that,” he said.

The space includes a classroom, changing rooms, office spaces, welding tables and a plasma table. Kimmel said, “We have an abundance of space and we plan to use that.” The classroom will be furnished in just weeks.

Other programs that Wawasee offer through Pathways include radio/TV, sports and entertainment marketing, emergency medical services, computer tech support and aviation operations.

Members of the school board held a short meeting in the newly renovated building used for welding trades before taking a tour of it.

The board approved a motion re-electing Rebecca Linnemeier as president, Rob Fisher as vice president, Don Bokhart as secretary, Amanda Jackson as recording secretary and James Flecker was appointed board attorney. Jim Evans and Sandy Hollar will serve as corporation treasurer and deputy treasurer, respectively.

Members also established a stipend of $2,000 plus $110 per regular meeting and $60 for special session. These monies will be paid quarterly and capped at $6,000.

Meetings will take place on the second Tuesday each month, with the exception of April and January, which will be on the third Tuesday. Each meeting will start at 5:30 p.m. in the Wawasee High School Warrior Room.



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