I still remember the first time I struck an arc. I was young, watching welding videos online the way most kids my age watched cartoons. Something about the process captivated me. The precision, the heat, the idea that two separate pieces of metal could become one permanent bond. When a family friend let me try his welder for the first time, I was instantly hooked. From that moment on, I was a little different from other kids my age. I asked my family for a MIG welder for the holidays. It was not a small ask. The price was considerably higher than the total of all the gifts I had received in previous years combined. My parents and grandparents on both sides came together to make it happen, and it was the only gift I received for the holidays and my birthday that year. I did not care. That welder changed my life. Once I had it in my hands, I was using it every single day. While other kids my age were playing video games, I was in the shop running beads, making mistakes, grinding them down, and trying again. Before long, people in my community started coming to me for help. Neighbors would stop by with a broken bracket, a cracked frame, or a project they could not figure out. I was happy to help every time. At 14, I was not old enough to drive, but I had a reputation in my neighborhood as the kid who could weld. That welder became the foundation for the direction my life is heading today. I used it to build the arch that my stainless steel maple syrup evaporator sits on, a project that required me to measure, cut, fit, and weld a structure strong enough to support intense heat over long boiling sessions. I also use my welding skills to assist with projects at the West Monroe Volunteer Fire Department, where I have served as a volunteer firefighter since age 14 and currently hold the role of Quartermaster. Being able to fabricate and repair equipment for the department has made me a more valuable member of the team and deepened my understanding of how metal, heat, and design come together in real world applications. Welding opened the door to everything I am passionate about today. It led me to maple syrup production, fire service, and eventually to my decision to pursue Mechanical Engineering in college. I do not see welding and engineering as separate paths. Welding taught me to think with my hands, to understand how materials behave, and to take pride in building something that lasts. Engineering will give me the knowledge to design the things I want to build. Kevin McConville found his spark through welding, and so did I. I understand the pride he must have felt bringing home that first project because I have felt it too, every time I finish a weld and know it is going to hold. I hope to honor his memory by continuing to pursue the craft that lit both of our souls on fire and by using it as the foundation for a career spent building, creating, and solving problems for the people around me.