Partnerships with the Marion Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO) allow Marion High School students to begin exploring career interests in high school, providing them with real-life skills and opportunities for career advancement upon graduation
One such partnership with Hupp Electric Motors allows Marion High School students to take a beginning welding class through the school, and Welding II for advanced students. The classes are taught by Hupp Electric Motors welder Chris Williams who learned about the opportunity from an email from MEDCO approaching businesses for a course instructor. Hupp Electric pays his salary to teach the class and support from Kirkwood Community College provides doughnuts for the class. $3,500 in grant support from the Marion Foundation purchased newer, industry-standard welding equipment for the class, allowing students to use equipment that is actually used in the field. This program has demonstrated that it provides real world skills to students. Of the nine students who completed the welding class last year, three are currently employed as welders.
Marion Community Build is a partnership between Marion Economic Development Corporation – MEDCO, Marion Independent School District and Linn-Mar Community Schools with the shared goal of providing students with hands-on opportunities to learn trade skills and beautifying a home in a Marion neighborhood. Through this program students are learning construction skills for credit while renovating a home for a low-income family in the Marion community. The current home under construction for this program is located at 330 Eight Avenue Marion and has been unoccupied for at least a decade. Making this home move-in ready not only provides a low-income housing option for a family but adds value to the neighborhood in which the home resides. The home should be completed by graduation in 2021.
This article is part of the Winter 2020 Edition of the Marion Independent School Foundation and Alumni Association Newsletter. If you are interested in receiving our newsletter by mail, please contact us at MarionFoundation@marion-isd.org.