Elementary and middle school students in La Center School District, Hockinson School District, Washougal School District, and Ridgefield School District rolled up their sleeves to explore careers in the construction trades through hands-on Construction Trades Camps this summer.
The camps, offered in partnership with the Southwest Washington Contractors Association (SWCA), gave students the opportunity to pour concrete, learn electrical basics, and develop woodworking skills while creating cedar planter boxes, toolboxes, cutting boards, and benches.
Student created planter boxes at the summer camps.
Local Career & Technical Education (CTE) teachers led camp lessons and shared their expertise with the students:
- Eirik Huset, Hockinson School District
- Brent Mansell, Washougal School District
- Dave Trujillo, Ridgefield School District
- Evan Holt, La Center School District
“Watching young students take pride in what they built was one of the highlights of the summer,” said Mansell. “These camps provide a fun way for students to gain trade skills while learning directly from professionals who are passionate about their craft.”
Sherrie Jones of SWCA, Christine Miller of SWCA, Dennis Schmid of Robertson & Olson Construction, Kyle Teel of Legacy 6 Inc., and James Maguire of Maguire Projects helped to plan the summer camp experiences.
“Our camps give students the chance to step into the trades early and actually build something with their own hands,” said Christine Miller, Brand & Experience Manager at SWCA. “When middle schoolers get to work in their future high school shop, meet their teacher, and take a project from raw materials to a finished project, you can see their confidence grow. They start to picture themselves in these spaces, discover skills they didn’t know they had, and get genuinely excited about the trades”
Students connect hands-on sklills with real world jobs at the Construction Trades Camp.
Tapani Inc., Goodfellow Bros, Inc., Heidelberg Materials and JR Merit provided sponsorship support to help make the programs possible. Lumber for the student projects was generously donated by Builders First Source.
The Construction Trades Camps are one example of how local schools and industry partners are working together to provide career-connected learning opportunities that prepare students for future success.
ESD 112 equalizes educational opportunities for learning communities through innovative partnerships, responsive leadership, and exceptional programs.