Students in the Mesa County Valley School District 51 construction program at the Career Center have completed building its 19th house in the 25 years of the program.
Grand Junction, Fruita Monument, Palisade, Central High School and R-5 students participated in building the Presley house over the past 2 years.
The program allows students to gain first-hand experience as a construction worker. According to Career Center Principal Todd McClaskey, this includes “foundation work, framing, plumbing, finish carpentry, masonry, electrical work, project planning, and jobsite safety while constructing the home from the ground up.”
Throughout the past five semesters, D51 students have participated in the construction of the Presley home, a project with the goal of completing a house on 2887 Presley Avenue near Graff Dairy. Being a part of the program also earns students the OSHA ( Occupational Safety and Health Administration) 10 industry credential as well as a Home Builders Institute certificate.
“Our main goal is to get students out from behind a desk and give them hands-on skills in all construction trades. All projects are designed to equip students with relevant life skills that can lead to a career in the field of construction with passion, and to learn the skills needed to be successful,” said McClaskey.
“Students who decide not to go into a construction trade learn valuable skills that they can apply later on when they own their own homes,” according to McClaskey. For other students who have a passion for a particular trade in construction, the program is designed to provide them with a foundational curriculum and relevant hands-on projects that apply in the future.
D51 students can join this program to get experience in the construction world. Students can scan QR codes across the school, contact counselors, or talk to GJHS Brenda Pomeray about joining CTE (Career and Technical Education).
