Around the House: Local construction academies building houses, careers
The local high school construction academies in Leesburg, The Villages, Eustis, and South Lake had a banner school year for student participation, but more importantly, these young people helped build four homes for Habit for Humanity of Lake-Sumter.
In April and May, the students turned the keys over to brand new homeowners who, if not for these programs, and Habitat for Humanity, would have never been able to own a home. The construction academies in these high schools are a true partnership between the public and private sectors, and many of these students can leave high school with a job in hand.
The local high school construction academies in Leesburg, The Villages, Eustis, and South Lake had a banner school year for student participation, but more importantly, these young people helped build four homes for Habit for Humanity of Lake-Sumter.
In April and May, the students turned the keys over to brand new homeowners who, if not for these programs, and Habitat for Humanity, would have never been able to own a home. The construction academies in these high schools are a true partnership between the public and private sectors, and many of these students can leave high school with a job in hand.
Mentorship by local subcontractors and business leaders, along with eager educators, created a learning environment for students, and as a result, next year, the Leesburg Construction Academy has over 300 students signed up for the program and the school is hiring a second instructor to expand other construction scopes like CAD drawing.
Probably, the most important aspect of these construction academies has been the positive effect on the students. To work on these homes students are required to follow workplace rules and standards, and there are strict discipline guidelines for behavior.
Click here for the full article from the Daily Commercial by Don Magruder