A $10,000 grant from the SAISD Foundation, awarded in partnership with the HB Family Foundation, is helping reshape the future of Burbank High School’s welding and Agricultural Mechanics classes, providing students with modern equipment, industry-level training, and new career opportunities.
Ag Mechanics teacher Shannon Hamilton White, who joined Burbank three years ago after working extensively in the oil field building industrial parts, said the department came together to apply for the grant after recognizing the program’s growing needs. Before receiving the funding, many of the welding machines were limited to a single process or no longer functioning properly. “A lot of them were outdated or did not work,” White said.
Thanks to the grant, the Burbank Agricultural Sciences department purchased new ESAB (Elektriska Svetsnings-Aktiebolaget) welding machines capable of performing multiple welding processes and programmable functions similar to what students will encounter in the workforce. The funding also provided welding hoods, magnets, sleeves, and additional industry-standard tools. White says the grant did more than upgrade equipment; it helped rebuild the entire program.
Rapid Growth and Hands-On Experience
The impact has already been significant. Enrollment in welding and Ag Mechanics courses increased from 182 students to 320 students over the past school year, and school leaders expect those numbers to continue growing. To keep up with the soaring demand, Burbank expanded its faculty to support even more students.
For now senior, Jorge San Miguel, the upgraded program has opened doors to future career possibilities.“I want to do this after high school,” San Miguel said. “I’m thinking about welding in the military, maybe in the Army.”
San Miguel says the improved equipment has made a noticeable difference in training quality.
“The old machines were a little iffy. They would flicker sometimes,” he said. “The new ones are way better. They have more settings and are closer to what the industry uses now.”
Building Pathways to Long-Term Success
White says the goal is not only to teach technical skills, but to prepare students for long-term success. Students now have the option to graduate with industry certifications, workforce experience, and pathways toward higher education. Some step directly into high-paying careers directly after high school, while others while others pursue associate or advanced degrees in welding through institutions like St. Philip’s College.
Shelby Parker, SAISD Agriculture Science Director, says programs like this also support the district’s College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) goals while helping students earn dual credit and accelerate college and career pathways.
For White, the success of the program comes down to one thing: opportunity.
“Without the grant, it would have been a struggle for us to be successful here,” White said.
Thanks to support from the SAISD Foundation and the HB Family Foundation, Burbank students have the tools to forge an ironclad future in one of today’s most in-demand industries.