BIDDEFORD — A little more than six weeks ago, six youths, ages 9-17, began taking a pilot welding program sponsored by the Community Bicycle Center at the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology. The course ended last week.

Participants took the course for varied reasons. Will Rees, a freshman at Thornton Academy in Saco, said he wanted to learn welding skills because he’s interested in pursuing a career in welding; Matthew Perkins, an eighth-grader at Biddeford Middle School, said he wants to learn welding so he’ll have the skill in case he needs it in the future; and Armand Souliere, a sophomore at Biddeford High School, said he wanted to “kick my dad’s butt in welding.”

Most CBC programs deal with bicycle repair and are geared to elementary through middle-school-aged children.

The welding program was designed to engage older youth, teach them a skill and give them something to do, said CBC Executive Director Andy Greif.

Through the welding program, participants learned a set of skills, completed a metal project and also came away with skills and life lessons that they can apply to other areas of their lives, he said.

The projects the participants made ranged from a tricked-out bike made by Paul Jurgiewich, a freshman at Thornton; an “alligator” made of bike parts by Donny Norris, a sophomore at BHS; and a bike art project made by Kera Greene, a third-grade student at Biddeford Intermediate School.

“The projects came out phenomenal,” said Brian Robillard, the welding instructor at the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology, where the program was held.

He said he was happy to help youth who wanted to learn a skill rather than stay home playing video games.

The participants were quick learners, said Bernie Bisnette, one of the welding instructors for the pilot and a CBC volunteer.

“I was amazed at how fast they learned,” he said. “It allowed us to get to a higher level.”

The bike center received welding equipment last year from Home Depot, but the cramped 900-square-foot space where the CBC is housed at the St. Louis Field house on Hill Street simply doesn’t have enough room for a welding program.

So the CBC approached the COT, which generously offered space for the program and Robillard offered to assist.

The pilot course was originally designed for only three students, but it was expanded because after those slots were full “we literally had kids showing up at the back door,” said Bronwyn Pontiff, the CBC resource development and community relations director, and one of the welding instructors.

On Thursday, four of the students in the program were at the CBC; they said they felt confident with their new skills.

Souliere said he’s already been working on his parents’ cars and fixing them up.

But in addition to the skill he learned, it’s also given him new purpose. Where before he said he used to spend a lot of his time just “laying around,” first the course and now his new skill has provided him with a more productive way to spend his time.

Rees not only enjoyed the class, but said it also helped him improve his relationship with his father.

While taking the class, said Rees’ mother, Denise, “he had an excitement I had never seen before.” In addition, she said, the course opened up communication between her son and husband because they had something in common to talk about.

Participants in the program also learned it’s OK to make mistakes, and that they can learn from the mistakes they make ”“ a piece of knowledge they can apply to other areas of their lives, said Greif.

In addition to the skills and knowledge the program participants said they learned through the class, they also said they had a lot of fun.

“If they can learn while they’re having fun, that’s the key,” said Pontiff.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or [email protected].