CARIBOU, Maine — Bryce Coffin has been selected as the Caribou Technology Center student of the year for 2017.
Coffin, the son of Ked and Trina Coffin of Stockholm, is a senior at Caribou High School and attends the Caribou Technology Center program in welding.
According to CTC Director Ralph Conroy and welding instructor Keith Dumond, Coffin is a conscientious, dependable student who follows directions well and completes tasks in a timely manner. He arrives each day ready to learn and is quick to share new knowledge with his classmates.
“He saved the school about $7,000 recently by modifying a pair of 10,000-pound military surplus forks to fit our new loader. When you are lifting 10,000 pounds, you need to have great welds, and Bryce was the man for the job,” Dumond said.
The instructor said Coffin has “an exceptional interest” in welding, along with the desire to learn more about the subject and continue to improve his skills.
“Some students learn to weld, and then find projects to make use of their skills,” Dumond said. “Bryce had a project in mind and took the welding class to learn the skills needed to complete it.”
Coffin’s project was to build a large wood-burning stove for use in his family’s maple syrup operation.
“It was a very ambitious task for a beginning welding student. It turned out great and the class enjoyed ploys with homemade syrup as a result of his efforts,” added Dumond.
During his high school career, Coffin has participated in the CHS National Honor Society and served as Skills USA parliamentarian. He has spent four years on the track, cross country and Nordic skiing teams, serving as cross country and Nordic skiing team captain.
In his career education, he has earned certifications including Osha 10, Osha Confined Space and Fall Protection, CPR, AED, first aid, and AWS welding certification.
Coffin has been accepted into the forestry program at the University of Maine at Fort Kent.
