RANDOLPH — A Randolph graduate is among the 2017 Empire Farm Days winners. Noah Persson of Randolph has received top honors as an individual winner in the 2017 New York State FFA Welding Competition held at Rodman Lott and Son Farms, 2973 State Route 414, Seneca Falls. He also won in 2016, making this his second consecutive win.

Contest organizers Johanna Fox-Bossard, Hamilton Central School agriculture teacher and FFA advisor, and Morrisville State College Professor Fred Bach recently announced the winners of the 2017 New York State FFA Welding Competition for students in grades 9-12 held at Empire Farm Days in August. The event was sponsored by Haun Welding, Briggs and Stratton Power Products of Munnsville, and Morrisville State College.

In addition to Persson, who is a 2017 graduate of Randolph Central School, two other top winners in the welding contest, Justin Rodda of Otselic Valley Central School and Allan Jones of Cuba-Rushford Central School, received Morrisville State College scholarships in the amount of $1,500. High Team winners were Allan Jones and Dakota Witter of Cuba Rushford Central School.

Persson is the son of Matthew Persson and Meaghan Clark of Randolph. He has an older sister, Mikaila. He said he is pursuing a Welding Technology degree at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Delhi because the school has a more comprehensive welding program.

“I chose Delhi over Morrisville because Delhi offered the specific welding program I was interested in, whereas Morrisville offers an automotive program with welding integrated into it,” he said.

Persson said he became interested in welding while in seventh grade when he went on a field trip to Ellicottville’s Career and Technical Education Center. When he began his junior year in high school, he started the welding program under the instruction of Dave Poulin. While attending the tech center for two years, he excelled in welding and competed in several competitions including a state-level SkillsUSA Competition where he and his team took fourth place.

“During high school, I learned to do stick welding and MIG welding at the tech center but, here at Delhi, we learn a variety of welding techniques including stick, MIG (Metal Inert Gas), TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas), Oxy-Acetylene and braising,” he said.

According to Persson, TIG welding takes a lot more skill than other types of welding. He said he has come to enjoy TIG because it’s a very multi-tasked style of welding. The welder must have a good, steady hand to be able to feed the rod into a molten puddle while, at the same time, working a foot-pedal to control the argon gas.

Persson said his two-year degree at Delhi will likely open up doors for him in many industries because he will have a diverse portfolio of different types of welding that he has learned.

Empire Farm Days is the largest outdoor agricultural trade event in the Northeastern United States. The 2018 event will be held in Seneca Falls Aug. 7, 8 and 9. For more details, visit online at empirefarmdays.com.

(Contact reporter Deb Everts at salpressdeb@gmail.com.)