Many high schoolers don’t know, or can’t decide what they’re doing after high school. Except for Bella Aldrich, a senior at Lakeland High School (LHS) is ready for what’s next after her four years are up.
Aldrich joined Corey Pettit’s welding class freshman year and fell in love with it immediately. With her precise handiwork and creativity, she feels that this is the correct career path for her. After high school, Aldrich wants to get a welding/fabrication job on a ranch, it is a skill she knows that could make her the most money.
Welding is the jointing of materials, usually metal or copper, and takes a lot of time to perfect. It plays an important part in the industrial field, involving a lot of structural integrity and technique that Aldrich has gained with her strong work ethic.
“I can make things, I like creating stuff, metal is good because you have a lot of room to make mistakes since it’s an easy fix,” Aldrich said.
Welding isn’t the only specialty of Aldrich’s, another one of her favorite hobbies is horseback riding. Aldrich has been riding horses for as long as she can remember. She started to apprentice training them five years ago and is actively sticking with it.
Along with horses and welding, another handy hobby of hers is working on cars with her dad. Time in the garage with her dad was her realization that she wanted to pursue the industrial field of work.
Although she knows her after school plans, she is going to be sad to leave. Aldrich is an outgoing person with a good sense of humor. She surrounds herself with a good group of friends and has enjoyed her high school years.
“Yea, I enjoy school, even though it takes up a lot of free time, I don’t have much time to ride my horses during school weeks,” Aldrich said.
Due to Aldrich’s passion for creative handiwork, whether it’s horseback riding, welding, or working in the garage, these have shaped her aspirations for her chosen field of work. While looking forward to her life after high school, she still takes the time to appreciate the value of the friendships she’s made and her past accomplishments.