Four students at Pine Tree High School in Longview have formed the campus's first all-female competitive welding team, called the "Arc Angels." The team includes three seniors and one junior: Briana Galicia, Jacqueline Ramos Tomas, Valeria Ramirez and Jimena Lozano. The group received permission to use the name from a copyrighted contest in Houston, the story said.
In competitions, teams receive blueprints and weld specifications to build projects such as benches or deer feeders. Instructor Cory Davis said the contests work like the field: students have four hours to finish the build on their own after a short briefing and review.
The team debuted at a Texas State Technical College competition in Marshall, finishing seventh out of more than a dozen teams. Pine Tree's male team finished eighth. To reach the state competition, the team must place near the top at an upcoming regional event. The students practice together after school on Tuesdays for up to three hours.