Bear River is firing off the year with a new Ag Mechanics teacher.

Morgan Perry has just started her first year at Bear River after multiple years in Lincoln High School’s Ag Mechanics program. She began school at Cal Poly with a concentration in animal science. She then went on to achieve an associate degree in welding technology from Cuesta College. She also has her Occupational Safety and Health Administration certification meaning that she is approved by the state of California as a safe instructor based on safety regulations. Ms. Perry is also certified in “7018 all position welding” by the American Welding Society; this means that she is able to weld structural steel anywhere in California.

Ms. Perry expressed how excited she was to have gotten the chance to join Bear River’s program.

“I was very excited for the interview,” said Ms. Perry. “I was surprised I got called, it very much caught me off guard. I’ve known about Bear River since college, just that this place existed. I actually didn’t know where Bear River was, I just knew that the name meant that it was a pretty solid program.”

 Senior Justin Kilgore expressed his excitement over her qualifications.

“She is really knowledgeable in welding,” said Kilgore. “And Mr. Reid and Ms. Kirby were both not as knowledgeable in certain aspects of it, [but] she’s specialized in welding, we’ve never had anyone in the program that’s been able to claim the titles that she claims. So I think overall she’s going to be a great addition to the school.”

But some students are not sure of how Ms. Perry will do.

“So far I can’t really say anything about her,” said sophomore Zaed Ismail.

Other students, such as Kilgore, already think she will be a great addition to Bear River

“I think a lot of new students are actually going to get a little scared by her, which is a good thing because her personality is so powerful, and I guess that’s how Mr. Reid was too,” he said. “If kids did things that weren’t acceptable in the shop or if they did things that they weren’t sure about, she put them in their place, and that’s not really a bad thing.”

Ms. Perry’s first act in the program was to take the action of re-organizing the Ag Mechanics shop. Students believe this is a great plan.

“She’s doing a great job,” said Ismail. “She’s taking the incentive of organizing the whole shop and tearing it all out and redoing it so that’s an ‘A+.’”

Sophomore Josh Racine agreed with Ismail.

“It’s all very hectic, but I feel it did need to be done,” said Racine. “It’s going to make everything a little safer, and more controllable.”

Overall, senior Justin Kilgore believes that she will be an excellent influence for Bear River Ag Mechanics students.

“She’s not only going to help kids in the shop, but she’s going to prepare them for beyond high school as well,” he said.