News and Events

2026 MTI High School Welding Competition

Welding Competition – Springfield, IL

Friday, April 17th, 2026

Springfield, IL Campus – Welding Competition Highlights

  • 68 total participants
  • 24 high schools represented: Capital Area Career Center, Monticello High School, Lincoln Technical Education Center, Pawnee High School, Eisenhower High School, Taylorville High School, Glenwood High School, Mt. Pulaski High School, Springfield High School, Riverton High School, Decatur Macarthur High School, Gillespie High School, Athens High School, North Mac High School, Rochester High School, Pittsfield High School, Jacksonville High School, New Berlin High School, Lutheran High School, Carlinville High School, Greenfield High School, Urbana High School, Lanphier High School, Clinton High School
  • $42,500 total awarded in MTI scholarships

Top 3

  1. First Place: Ashton Bettinger of Monticello High School; awarded a $5,000 scholarship. Monticello High School will also receive a $1,000 donation from MTI.
  2. Second Place: Carson Hailstone of Gillespie High School; awarded a $2,500 scholarship.
  3. Third Place: Brayden Billington of Lincoln Technical Education Center; awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

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Top 10

  1. Ashton Bettinger – Monticello High School
  2. Carson Hailstone – Gillespie High School
  3. Brayden Billington – Lincoln Technical Education Center
  4. Braiden Vincenet – Capital Area Career Center
  5. Trenton Marr – Capital Area Career Center
  6. Ian Hunt – Capital Area Career Center
  7. Dawson Lancaster – Gillespie High School
  8. Jon Thomas – Capital Area Career Center
  9. Michael Cumby – Capital Area Career Center
  10. Colin Millett – Capital Area Career Center
Springfield, IL – Top 10 – 2026

Welding Competition – Moline, IL

Saturday, April 18th, 2026

Moline, IL Campus – Welding Competition Highlights

  • 15 total participants
  • 7 high schools represented: Clinton High School, Davenport West High School, Moline High School, Pleasant Valley High School, United Township High School, Davenport North High School, West Branch High School
  • $16,000 total awarded in MTI scholarships

Top 3

  1. First Place: Jorge Rosales of Moline High School; awarded a $5,000 scholarship. Moline High School will also receive a $1,000 donation from MTI.
  2. Second Place: Lyrik Sterling of Moline High School; awarded a $2,500 scholarship.
  3. Third Place: Giovani Hernandez of Moline High School; awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Top 10

  1. Jorge Rosales – Moline High School
  2. Lyrik Sterling – Moline High School
  3. Giovani Hernandez – Moline High School
  4. Jack Farley – Davenport West High School
  5. Elijah Delacruz – Moline High School
  6. Elijah Harwell – United Township High School
  7. Peyele Telou – Moline High School
  8. Tristan Richard – Davenport North High School
  9. Riley Curtis – Davenport West High School
  10. Jarimiah Wise – Sherrard High School

Welding Competition – East Peoria, IL

Friday, April 10th, 2026 

 

East Peoria, IL Campus – Welding Competition Highlights

  • 51 total participants
  • 16 high schools represented: East Peoria High School, Cuba High School, Pekin Community High School, Deer Creek-Mackinaw High School, Grundy Area Vocational Center, Champaign Central High School, Metamora Township high School, Tremont High School, Morton High School, Illini Bluffs High School, Coal City High School, Hall High School, Peoria Christian High School, Peoria Manual High School, Minooka Community High School, Dwight Township High School
  • $34,000 total awarded in MTI scholarships

Top 3

  1. First Place: Barrett Read of East Peoria High School; awarded a $5,000 scholarship. East Peoria High School will also receive a $1,000 donation from MTI.
  2. Second Place: Wyatt Koehn of Grundy Area Vocational Center; awarded a $2,500 scholarship.
  3. Third Place: Santino Capodice of Grundy Area Vocational Center; awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Top 10

  1. Barrett Read – East Peoria High School
  2. Wyatt Koehn – Grundy Area Vocational Center
  3. Santino Capodice – Grundy Area Vocational Center
  4. John Kurland – Deer Creek- Mackinaw High School
  5. Terry McMullen – East Peoria High School
  6. Tyler Hedger – Illini Bluffs High School
  7. Ben Kraus -Pekin Community High School
  8. Brock Freeman – Pekin Community High School
  9. Cameron Noffsinger – Morton High School
  10. Ulyses Rocha – Grundy Area Vocational Center

Welding Competition – Missouri Region

Saturday, February 28th, 2026 

Missouri Welding Competition Highlights

  • 18 total participants
  • 8 high schools represented: Nevada Regional Technical Center, Scott Regional Technical Center, Franklin Technical Center, Verona High School, Dallas County Technical Center, Monett High School, Strafford High School, & Nixa High School
  • $17,500 total awarded in MTI scholarships

Top 3

  1. First Place: Uriel Vargas of Nevada Regional Technical Center; awarded a $5,000 scholarship. Nevada Regional Technical Center will also receive a $1,000 donation from MTI.
  2. Second Place: Weston Prough of Nevada Regional Technical Center; awarded a $2,500 scholarship.
  3. Third Place: Cesar Gonzalez of Nevada Regional Technical Center; awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Top 10

  1. Uriel Vargas – Nevada Regional Technical Center
  2. Weston Prough – Nevada Regional Technical Center
  3. Cesar Gonzalez – Franklin Technical Center
  4. Alex Woods – Nevada Regional Technical Center
  5. Garrett Johnson – Nevada Regional Technical Center
  6. Mackenzie Lee – Nevada Regional Technical Center
  7. Jacob Hinkle – Scott Regional Technical Center
  8. Dayton Lange – Nevada Regional Technical Center
  9. Eli Woods – Scott Regional Technical Center
  10. Ivan Suchowski – Scott Regional Technical Center

 

Upcoming competitions

2027 dates to be announced.

RSVP to reserve your spot!

Everyone who competes receives a $500 MTI scholarship.

Competition is open to all high school seniors. RSVP required. All welding experience levels welcome.

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