Strengthen the Mind
Just being a kid
13-17
Welding sparks interest of Burt County teen
Photo and reporting by
Midwest Messenger
Taylor learned to weld at age 10 in her family's shop north of Tekamah when her dad Randall taught her the basics. She quickly wanted to do more than flat welds and has since built life-sized metal sculptures—a 400-pound cow head, a leaping horse, a falcon—that she's shown at the Nebraska State Fair.
The parent picked up a hammer too
Randall taught Taylor to weld when she was 10 years old. She tired of the basic flat welds he showed her and wanted to try more complex work. He kept the shop available and let her pursue bigger projects.
Why we picked this one
Taylor started with flat welds at 10 and got bored. Her dad's shop became hers to experiment in. Now she welds life-sized animals out of scrap metal and cutlery—a 400-pound cow head, a horse, a falcon. This is what happens when a parent says yes to the messy, loud, hot thing their kid wants to learn.
Taylor's dad handed her a welder at ten and let her figure out a 400-pound cow head. You don't need a shop north of Tekamah for this one: hand your kid a real drill, point at something that needs building, and step back while they measure twice.
Read the full story at
Midwest Messenger
Where it happened:
Tekamah, Nebraska
There's likely a welder or a torch in a garage or barn near you. What would your kid build with permission to try?