My name is James Harrison and I am an Eagle Scout, which I achieved this year, actively pursuing a career in welding. I want to learn a trade, and was set on becoming an auto mechanic until I did the welding merit badge at a Boy Scout summer camp and my whole plan changed! I love welding and want to train as a specialist welder eventually, but I realize that I need to start at the bottom of the ladder and learn my way up it to achieve my goal. I am a senior at Springstead High school and doing welding with dual enrollment at Simpson Technical College from 4 to 8pm Monday through Thursday. Unfortunately because I was born in July an I had to be sixteen by July 1st I had to miss the first semester of the welding course. This means I have to pay for one semester of the course and I was working each weekend at a local restaurant as a dishwasher until a fire last weekend closed us down. i am currently looking for another job but a scholarship would help pay for that last semester so that would be one less payment to worry about. I am a very hardworking and reliable person and two year training certificate in welding would hopefully help me go get an apprenticeship so I can continue to learn and grow my chosen career. Thank you for reading my application and I hope to hear from you soon. James Harrison

My name is James Harrison and I would like to apply for this scholarship because I am currently in my last year of high school and also doing dual enrollment with Simpson Technical college, learning welding. I always wanted to learn a trade, and a career in the automotive trade was where I thought my future lay, until I attended a Boy Scout summer camp and took the welding merit badge. I switched my career plans immediately. Welding is my passion, I love it! I am attending the local technical college doing dual enrollment through my school. I attend four days a week after school from 4pm until 8pm, although most nights if I can stay longer I do. Unfortunately because I was born in July and the start date for the course was July 1st and you had to be sixteen, I missed the first semester of the welding course. This means that when I graduate from Springstead High School in May this year, I will still have a semester of my welding course to complete. Which obviously I will have to pay for. I work every weekend at a local restaurant as a dishwasher to make money to pay my car insurance and gas, but last weekend it caught fire because of an electrical fault. Currently I am not working until I find a new job. If I was awarded this scholarship it would pay for the last semester of my welding course and I would not have to worry about not being able to finish the course. I am hoping to find a welding apprenticeship when I leave school and a certificate stating I completed a two year welding course would help me achieve that goal. Another thing I would like you to know about me is that as well as attending school, college and working, I also achieved my Eagle Scout Rank this year too. I am a very dedicated, hardworking person and I am sure that if you award me this very worthy scholarship it would help me immensely in my future career as a welder. My eventual goal is to become a specialized welder, but I realize that I have to start at the bottom and work hard to make my way up the ladder in my chosen career. I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my application request and I hope you can appreciate how much the scholarship would help me with my future. Thank you James Harrison