HELENA — Boeing officials and Helena education leaders gathered on Helena High School's campus to unveil their new state-of-the-art machining system that will help with career and trade education.
The Boeing Company awarded Helena High School $25,000 to purchase a piece of high-tech machinery for the classes and clubs.
The machine will help prepare students for careers in the manufacturing industry, where they will use similar high-precision tools to make metal parts for aviation or other industries.
"We are so excited to have this equipment here supporting our programs. Boeing is amazing to be able to grant us this grant and the Helena Education Foundation with the grant money to provide this piece of equipment for our students. Our students are so excited," said Cindy Galbavy, Welding Teacher for Helena High School.
In addition to the new machine, The Helena Education Foundation also received a $75,000 grant from Boeing to help bring interest in trade programs to middle school's around the district.
"This will just give them another opportunity, a lot of our students are just going to fall in love with this industry and they have amazing opportunities to stay here in Helena or in the state," said Galbavy.
Upcoming senior, Jackson Cosgrove, who is part of The American Welding Society Club, and has taken multiple welding classes at Helena High, will be one of the first students to get his hands on the new machine, and he can't wait.
"I'm super excited. It's opened up a lot of windows like to just like from what we had before, being able to machine and like learn how to do that opens up a lot of doors like especially like learning what I want to go into like specifically in the trades, it'll be very helpful," said Cosgrove.
With the machine's arrival at Helena High, students in welding classes and clubs are excited about the new equipment, and students of all ages can't wait to test it out.
"There's a couple of like younger people that I know, that are freshmen, and I've told them about like all the stuff we're getting this year and I've gotten some people excited about it because they want to learn to because they're interested in the trades and they don't know exactly what they want to do," said Cosgrove.
While Helena High just received the new addition, they're already brainstorming all the projects and possibilities it'll bring for students.
"Our school is going to be offering it in welding, woodworking and in drafting, and we're going to be making projects. We're not sure yet all the exact projects, but we're excited to create these projects and teach these students the opportunity that they have in the manufacturing industry," said Galbavy.
Helena High students will begin using the new machine this fall.
