Participants and mentors of the Construction Combine stand between the studs of the shed the group built during the Glenns Ferry High School Spring Break. The program is designed to introduce high school students to the construction trades. Pictured: Back (L to R) Juan Vergara, Luis Rodriquez, Erasto Sanchez Jr. and Gabe Muilenburg. Front (L to R) Steve Alderman, Eddie Avalos, Rigo Berto, and Rob Crane.
A handful of Glenns Ferry High School students spent their Spring Break learning new skills.
The Construction Combine is a program designed to give students a look inside the building trades through hands-on learning.
The students along with volunteer instructors constructed a storage building from the ground up.
Juan Vergara was one student who took part in the Construction Combine and said he enjoyed a change of pace.
“I think these are good skills to have, and this was something different to do,” Vergara said.
Gabe Muilenburg agreed with Vergara that the skills they learned are vital.
“It is good to know these things,” said Muilenburg. “And, it is good to give back to the community.”
The shed built by the students has been placed behind 12 Baskets Thriftique to be used for storage and sorting.
Erasto Sanchez Jr. said he appreciated learning why some techniques work better than others.
“I learned flooring should not be on the same line,” he said. “If the joints are in a line, the flooring will heave and crack.”
Steve Alderman is the owner of High Desert Properties and one of the mentors for the Construction Combine program. Alderman said there is a need for new people to enter the building trades.
“I think it is good to mentor students because there are not as many people entering the trades as there are leaving the trades,” he said. “It is good to enlighten kids about some of the possibilities for their future.”
Along with showing his industry to future trades people, Alderman said the students’ responses were gratifying.
“It is really good to see them enjoy the process and feel a sense of accomplishment,” Alderman said.
Organizers said the hope is to expand the program next year.
“It would be good to see more participation and be able to expand to building three sheds at a time,” said Glenns Ferry School Superintendent Cody Fisher.
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