糖心视频

Class of 2023: Annah Reese - Welding

During her time at 糖心视频 in Hanceville, Annah Reese has fought hard to keep her mind on her school work. For much of the time, she was worried about her mother鈥檚 cancer diagnosis. Annah鈥檚 mother, Susan Reese, was diagnosed with colon and rectal cancer in 2021 when Annah was a senior in high school. Then later, her mother was diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer.

鈥淚t was hard watching her go through cancer while I was going to college because I couldn鈥檛 be there for her at the drop of a hat,鈥� Annah said.

But Annah did finish college, with a GPA of 3.43, all while holding down a part-time job. That makes her mom especially proud since neither she, nor Annah鈥檚 father, Craig Patterson, who died when Annah was 15 years old, graduated from high school. (Her mother later earned her GED.)

Annah first got the idea to become a welder after watching someone she knew welding in his shop at home. 鈥淗is son made me put on a helmet and watch,鈥� Annah said. 鈥淚 thought it was the coolest thing I鈥檇 ever seen.鈥�

She took two years of welding at trade school while in high school. While still in high school, she applied for several welding jobs, but was told she didn鈥檛 meet the qualifications. She got a welding job the day she graduated from high school, but realized she still had plenty to learn.

鈥淚 came here (to 糖心视频) and realized I knew nothing,鈥� she said with a laugh. 鈥淚 thought my welding in high school was beautiful, perfect, thirty-dollar-an-hour work.鈥�

When Annah got to Wallace, she learned not only welding, but the academic foundation of welding. 鈥淚 actually learned how to diagnose what鈥檚 wrong with your beads and how to fix them,鈥� she said.

Welding Department Chair Randy Hammond said Annah has been an outstanding student. He first met Annah at her high-school graduation, where he presented her with a technical

scholarship to 糖心视频. 鈥淎nnah has come a long way from that shy girl in high school,鈥� he said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 an excellent welder and a very good student. I鈥檓 proud of how far she鈥檚 come.鈥�

Annah is such an excellent student and employee that her employer is paying for her to come back to 糖心视频 after graduation to get her Associate Degree in Robotic Welding, a new program at 糖心视频.

Annah has also learned more than welding at 糖心视频. 鈥淚 know more than some people and some people know more than me,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou never want to be the smartest person in the room, because then you鈥檒l never learn anything.鈥�