It’s back to school time and San Antonio students are putting on tool belts and picking up hammers!
San Antonio is now one of the fastest-growing cities in America! It is a great time for young people to enter the construction industry and Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio. We prepare students to fulfill this industry need after graduation.
For 255 San Antonio student volunteers, classroom tools of choice became hammers, tape measures and nails as they explore the booming construction industry while in high school! For the past 6 years, Habitat construction staff has teamed up with 10 local high school shop teachers and their students to build walls and sheds for Habitat families’ houses.
Learning to Build Homes in the Heart of San Antonio
Through Habitat’s In-School Future Builders Program, Habitat provides the build plan and lumber and school instructors work with students to build walls for 3 and 4 bedroom homes. Students learn to read Habitat’s build plans. They follow construction safety standards and work with measurements for affordable houses, tools and materials. They learn to successfully execute a residential construction project. These student-built walls shelter low-income San Antonio families each year who are in need of a safe and secure home.
This year, Habitat has teamed up with Marathon Petroleum to make this program possible. Marathon strives to invest in both STEM- and vocational education-related initiatives that prepare students for professional and academic success. A grant from Marathon helps support the cost of lumber and building supplies. This helps students can go beyond the books and experience hands-on learning. This is all possible through Habitat’s real-life residential building projects.
“It has not only opened their eyes to career possibilities after high school, it has broadened their vision of the community service impacts of their labor and participation.”
Learning Lifelong Lessons
Students learn valuable construction skills, safety, teamwork, leadership, and the importance of helping others in the community. Students are introduced to a real problem in San Antonio – the lack of safe, affordable housing for low-income families. One shop teacher shared the positive impact of this program on his students. “It has not only opened their eyes to career possibilities after high school, but it has also broadened their vision of the community service impacts of their labor and participation.” In fact, students in this program volunteer their time outside of class to build alongside future Habitat homeowners. Habitat’s In-school Future Builders serves students ages 14 – 19 from districts across San Antonio.
To get your students involved in #BuildforBetter with Habitat or to sponsor an upcoming Habitat youth program, call 210-223-5203.