Gilbert High’s Ryan Fifield Sparks Success at National Welding Competition

Ryan Fifield, a junior at Gilbert High School (GHS), has earned the distinguished Silver Award at the J.F. Lincoln Foundation’s National Competition in the High School Welding Project Division. This award places Fifield among the top three high school welding students in the United States based on the quality of welding and the innovative design of a project.

For the competition, Fifield designed and built an eye-catching John Deere-themed swing set,  impressing judges with its creative concept and high-quality craftsmanship. His outstanding work on the project not only secured him national recognition but also a $750 cash prize along with two welding machines to further his education and development as a welder. The swing set was later successfully auctioned at the Maricopa County Fair Agriculture Mechanics Show, selling for $1,800. 

Currently enrolled in Gilbert High’s Agriculture Engineering and Fabrication II course within the school’s AgriScience Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, Fifield had the knowledge and skills to build the swing set from scratch. From its design to fabrication, Fifield’s attention to detail and creativity while crafting the swing set earned him a spot among the best high school welders in the nation.

Looking ahead, Ryan plans to pursue a career in aerospace engineering, using the skills he’s developed in welding and fabrication as a foundation for his future goals. Congratulations to Ryan Fifield for his outstanding achievement and his bright future in the world of engineering and fabrication!

To learn more about the AgriScience CTE program, along with the many other programs available across Gilbert Public Schools, visit GilbertSchools.net/CTE.