Welding his way to a bright future

Junior Zachary Murrell is taking his welding class by storm. He doesn’t wait to be assigned a project or told how to do something. He just jumps right in and does it.

“From the first day that we hit the shop, he’s been asking questions,” welding instructor Leon Zamora said. “He’s the first on the floor and the last one cleaning up."

Zachary is like a sponge, soaking up all the knowledge his teachers and the other students can give him. And he’s succeeding in spite of an obstacle many don’t have: a hearing disability.

Typically, hearing is important to being a good welder, Mr. Zamora said. But Zachary has shown him that although it’s important, it’s not essential; Zachary has an amazing control over his welds and uses his other senses to pick up the slack.

“The sky is the limit for him as he continues to adapt and keep learning,” Mr. Zamora said.

For Zachary, who also attends Gilbert High School, the experience is about learning a skill that will land him a good job.

“But it’s not only about the money,” he said. “It’s also what I enjoy doing."