Photo of L'Anse High School Senior Maysen Bergerson pictured with his award and recent entry in the MITES state competition.

L'Anse High School senior Maysen Bergerson, a student in the Copper Country ISD Career and Technical Education (CTE) Welding and Manufacturing program operating at the L’Anse Area Schools, achieved recognition at the MITES State Competition held in Gaylord, Michigan, from May 8-11.

MITES, the Michigan Industrial & Technology Education Society, is dedicated to empowering students, teachers, and stakeholders in Industrial Arts & Technology, Career and Technical Education, Graphic Arts, and STEM classrooms. Their annual competitions include student project entries and live hands-on events in CAD, Construction Trades, Welding, Project Presentations, and Interviewing.

Bergerson's entry, described as a "Tractor, Trailer, and Excavator Model” competed in the Wrought Metal (WM) Model category in the WM Division, Category 7, Level A. This category encompasses large sculptures or models made from wrought metal, with maximum dimensions exceeding 30 inches. Level A refers to all entrants being CTE students.

On May 4, Bergerson won first place in the Region 18 competition at Calumet High School, which qualified him for the state competition. Though the only Level A CTE project in Region 18, Bergerson demonstrated outstanding skill at the state level on May 9 by winning not only the blue ribbon in WM 7 A but also the Wrought Metal A Divisional Award, signifying his project as the best CTE level entry across all 13 Categories in the Wrought Metal Division. 

Bergerson’s project also earned the prestigious 2024 asbe (American Society of Body Engineers) Foundation Creative Design Award for the most creative project at the MITES Convention. The asbe Foundation, composed of retired and active automotive engineers, designers, and technical educators, collaborates with educators and industry leaders to inspire and reward students interested in design and engineering careers.

Maysen only learned of his accomplishment last week, when his project was returned to him at the L’Anse Area Schools Industrial Education Building, where his CTE Welding & Manufacturing class is held. Reflecting on his success, Maysen expressed disbelief and humility. When asked to describe his feelings in one word, he simply shook his head several times before saying, “Unreal.” 

Corey Soumis, CTE Director for the Copper Country ISD, expressed his admiration, saying, “With an estimated 4,500 project entries across all categories at the MITES state competition this year, Maysen’s recognition as the fabricator of the most creative project is a testament to his extraordinary creativity. Maysen’s welded model is exceptional in its imagination, detail, and execution. While Mr. Maycunich provided the opportunity, it was Maysen’s pure talent that brought this project to life.”

Ben Maycunich, Bergerson’s CTE Welding and Manufacturing instructor as well as L’Anse High School woodshop teacher, praised his student, saying, “The cool thing to me is that Maysen fabricated this project by using sheet metal primarily salvaged out of the scrap bin and also by using odds and ends parts he found here and there.” Maycunich added, “Like Mr. Soumis said, this is unbelievable talent Maysen has displayed here and I couldn’t be more proud of his accomplishments.”

Though it was Maycunich’s first time at either the regional or state event, MITES Region 18 Administrative Officer and Calumet High School Industrial Technology teacher, Rob Bohlsen, who has been there many times before, said, “I first became involved with MITES some 25 years ago as a student myself at Calumet High School, was then involved in my first teaching job out of college as a high school shop teacher at L’Anse High School of all places, and I am still involved with MITES as a shop teacher now at Calumet High School. So, it’s kind of been full circle for me.” 

Bohlsen added, “Now that Mr. Maycunich has been bitten by the MITES bug so-to-speak by attending the state competition and experiencing the convention and success of his student first-hand, I believe he sees the value of the organization to industrial arts education.  Because of this, I look forward to seeing what level of projects come out of his students in L’Anse next year. It will be very challenging to top what Maysen has accomplished at the CTE level this year but there are obviously talented students in Baraga County to take on the challenge of producing high-quality projects across all categories and all levels that could then be entered into MITES.”