WHEELING — The second-year welding students at West Virginia Northern Community College will play a significant part in this year’s Tough As Nails Urban Challenge presented by The Health Plan. They won’t be participating in the challenge, one of the marquee events of the Ogden Newspapers Wellness Weekend presented by WVU Medicine, but one of the obstacles in the event is of their creation.

The students have created a monkey bar obstacle that will be part of the Tough As Nails Urban Challenge presented by The Health Plan, which kicks off at noon Sunday, May 26.

The project is part of the students’ layout and fabrication class.

This is the second year WVNCC students have lent a hand to the obstacle course.

Last year, they constructed an army crawl challenge.

Each student submitted their design for the project and one was chosen. The winning design then went from concept to reality over a few months.

Drake Hukill, a 21-year-old student from Wellsburg, said the project was both fun and informative, due in large part to his instructor, Bob Combs.

“Bob taught us a lot,” Hukill said. “He’s a very smart man. He showed us how to build from the ground up. Overall, he’s a really great guy to learn from.”

Learning by doing was among the most important parts of the project, Hukill said.

There were many aspects to building the monkey bars that he said he had yet to experience.

Hukill learned how to better weld while contorting his body into different positions to fit different spaces.

WVNCC Welding Program Director Brandy Killeen said it was great for some of her students to gain needed experience while helping a notable community event better serve the people who participate in it.

“At WVNCC, we believe in the importance of giving back to our community and providing our students with real-world experiences,” said Killeen. “The Tough As Nails Urban Challenge provides an incredible opportunity for our students to showcase their talents and contribute something to our community. Not only does it allow them to work together on a group project, but it also gives them a sense of pride knowing that people in the community will get to enjoy and appreciate their hard work.”

Hukill said it felt good to know that the project he and his classmates completed will be used by hundreds of urban warriors on that Sunday.

“It was really interesting to make and learn how to build from the ground up,” he said.

To register for the Tough As Nails Urban Challenge presented by The Health Plan, or any other events during the Ogden Newspapers Wellness Weekend presented by WVU Medicine, visit ogdenwellnessweekend.com.