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Jefferson County welding students craft battering rams for sheriff's department

The students are helping the local sheriff's department break down barriers-- literally.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Welding students at Jefferson County High School are getting out of the classroom and sparking real-world experience by creating door breachers for the sheriff's department.

In the welding department at Jefferson County High School, the sounds of hands-on learning fill the air.

Recently, a real-world idea sparked in the form of door rammers. The 45-pound "Patriot" named for the school's mascot, and the 35 pound "Minute Man."

"They're made of steel pipe and we cut it in pieces and just welded handles on it," JCHS junior and welding student Layne Holt explained. "There's actually steel inside of it too to make it heavier-- for more hitting power."

But the rams are not so students can bust down doors. They're headed to the sheriff's department. The tools will allows deputies to have more ease in various scenarios where they may have to bust down doors.

"It could be a search warrant, could be a medical emergency, could be where you come in and come up and you get a call and you see someone down in the home and you're trying to breach," Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Coffey explained. "You've got an extra tool here to help breach in the door to be able to get in and give aid to them."

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The sheriff's department purchased a manufactured rammer last year and it set them back hundreds of dollars. The idea surfaced to get the students involved-- and all that money was saved.

Welding teacher in the Career and Technical Education department at JCHS, Tim Epling, said once the students came up with a plan, it all fell together.

"We did this out of some leftover material as we was building our tables, so realistically, we got a little bit of scrap metal price in it and that's it," Epling said.

The digital design class even pitched in to provide the decals on the sides of the breachers.

"Everybody here helped," Holt pointed. "Not just me or not just him helped. It was everybody."

That technical experience, like what is provided in the CTE department is what the county is hoping to grow.

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"Not just welding, but CTE in general is something that is very important," Epling explained. "Especially to our community and to the work force and the upcoming work force."

Now, the students are making five more rammers. It takes about two weeks for the full product to come together.

"On the streets of Jefferson County one of these is going to be floating around with a supervisor, so it'll be readily accessible any time we need it," Coffey noted.

The door breachers will stay in the supervisors' cars, and the department will start using them when all of them are completed.

Students are able to get a leg up on job experience before graduation.

The students at JCHS in the CTE department are provided with top-notch internship programs while still in high school. Local businesses Oshkosh Corporation and Bush's Beans are just a couple of examples.

Dual enrollment classes with the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Morristown are also offered on the high school's campus.

RELATED: Win for welding: Jefferson County High School students become Oshkosh welding apprentices

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