Four area high school students will put their welding skills to the test against the best of the best from across the state during a competition on May 2 in Albany. One of the four is BCHS senior Owen VanVranken. 

VanVranken will join a trio of classmates from the Capital Region BOCES Welding and Metal Fabrication program on May 2 as they compete in the New York State Thruway Cup welding competition at the Career and Technical Education Center – Albany campus.

They will compete against the best youth welders from the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and the Twin Tiers regions of the state.

VanVranken won the right to compete in the state competition by earning a third-place finish in a highly competitive regional welding contest, where he outperformed several student welders. 

Good luck to Owen and his teammates from Capital Region BOCES!