Harrisburg 41-2
Harrisburg 41-2
Celebrating CTE Month with Construction Trades
Every February, the CTE community celebrates CTE Month® to raise awareness of the role that CTE has in readying learners for college and career success. CTE Month is also a time to recognize and celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of our CTE partners at the local, state and national level.
This month, we turn the reins over to Mrs. Breanne Lynch, CTE Coordinator for the District. This week, Breanne interviews Mr. Derek Wynia, Home Builders Academy instructors.
Transcript
00:00:03 JoAnne
We're giving you more than just the 411. This is the Harrisburg 412 podcast coming to you from Southern Sioux Falls and Harrisburg, SD.
00:00:16 JoAnne
Welcome back to another special episode of Harrisburg 412. As we continue to highlight some of our CTE programs here in the Harrisburg School District today, Brianne Lynch, CTE coordinator for the district, will discuss our construction.
00:00:30 JoAnne
Grades program here at Harrisburg High School will once again turn it over to Mrs.
00:00:36 Breanne
All right, today we're going to explore our home Builders Academy and today, who do I have with me?
00:00:41 Derek
This is Derek Wynia.
00:00:42 Derek
I'm our construction trades teacher at Harrisburg High School.
00:00:45 Breanne
Well, thanks for joining me this morning, yes, thank you for having me.
00:00:48 Breanne
So construction trades.
00:00:49 Breanne
Can you tell our listeners a little bit about what that means and what learners are gaining as far as skills in?
00:00:55 Derek
Your classroom construction trades is a very unique course offering here at Harrisburg and what it entails is students going through a two class program.
00:01:06 Derek
They would start with intro to construction and move on to residential construction if there.
00:01:10 Derek
Interested and the goal of the program in in total is that students would leave being a lot more prepared to enter the workforce in construction.
00:01:23 Derek
Intro to construction is a a very broad touching on tools and safety and construction materials.
00:01:31 Derek
And some of the different industries that are within the construction field and residential construction kind of narrows that down to carpentry and rough frame construction and learning how to build a house or other residential structure from wood.
00:01:46 Breanne
OK, so in the intro class do I have to have any prerequisite skills?
00:01:50 Derek
Nope, we start from Ground Zero, and if you've never touched a tape measure or a hammer in your life.
00:01:57 Derek
Everybody is is going to be on the same playing field.
00:01:58 Breanne
All are welcome.
00:02:00 Derek
Yep, all are welcome, awesome.
00:02:01 Breanne
OK so after I maybe master some of those introductory skills and I enjoyed that course and I want to jump into the residential class.
00:02:07 Breanne
What can I expect there?
00:02:09 Breanne
What does my day like look like in residential?
00:02:12 Derek
Residential construction is always a 90 minute.
00:02:16 Derek
Course every single day, whereas most courses here at Harrisburg are 45 minutes and then on our what we call block days you would see your teacher for 90 minutes and then not have the teacher the next day.
00:02:29 Derek
That's not the case for with the residential you see me every single day for 90 minutes, and that allows us more time to get extremely hands on.
00:02:38 Derek
We do still have to learn new material from time to time, but the majority of your time.
00:02:42 Derek
Eventing class is going to be working with the tools actually putting together building structures, and we have some great partnerships with out.
00:02:52 Derek
We had entities that want us to build structures for them, houses sheds, things of that nature so extremely hands on tell me a little bit about some of the hands on projects your learners have completed.
00:03:04 Breanne
Because there's a house sitting out in that building, yeah?
00:03:08 Derek
The first structure that we built when I started.
00:03:12 Derek
Teaching two years ago was a concession stand, new concession stand for the baseball fields here in Harrisburg, and that's now going will be used this upcoming summer. Finally, and then we moved on and we built a full-sized house for Habitat for Humanity and affordable housing solutions in Sioux Falls. And so I'm partnering with them. I'll give us the affordability.
00:03:39 Derek
To get all the materials delivered to Harrisburg High School and build a full-sized building in our shed. Our classroom, our home Builders Academy.
00:03:51 Derek
That we have behind Harrisburg High School.
00:03:54 Breanne
Yeah, so the home Builders Academy came about because of a workforce education grant and then the partnership with the home builders of the Sioux Empire.
00:04:01 Breanne
So those matching dollars and funds allowed us to have this beautiful building where kids can build year round.
00:04:06 Breanne
They don't have to worry about weather and wind and snow and all of those other things that are hindering.
00:04:11 Breanne
Some of our, you know, construction workers in the.
00:04:13 Derek
Field, yes, it's an amazing opportunity to have such a a perfect building for the classroom.
00:04:20 Derek
Right here on site where students can leave the high school out of one room and less than a minute later, they're in a completely different environment where they're they can be building full size buildings.
00:04:33 Breanne
So once that home is moved out of the building, then hopefully maybe a new home.
00:04:39 Breanne
Will be built or another project will be taken on, but in the interim the construction program has partnered with the Veterans Community Project.
00:04:46 Breanne
Can you tell us a little bit about that?
00:04:47 Derek
Yeah, that partnership is one I'm extremely excited about VCP veterans community project.
00:04:54 Derek
Is something that Sioux Falls as a city has been looking at for a couple of years now and the goal is for there to be a group of tiny homes that goes up in Sioux Falls in an area where it makes sense for veterans that might be struggling with homelessness to be able to access jobs and other things that they might need.
00:05:18 Derek
And so these tiny homes are being built. 25 of them, they're going to go up in a little village type area, and they're going to invite homeless veterans into those, and they're going to provide them with wrap around care to help them get back on their feet, whatever they might be struggling with that might be underlying issues of their homelessness.
00:05:38 Derek
Whether it be drug addiction or just financial concerns.
00:05:43 Breanne
Financial concerns, employment concerns, whatever those issues may be, right?
00:05:46 Derek
All of those things.
00:05:48 Derek
Yep, so any of those things they're going to provide a lot of support, counseling and help them get back on their feet.
00:05:55 Derek
They've had extreme, extremely good success in other cities.
00:05:59 Derek
We're following that model.
00:06:00 Derek
Our VCP is following that model here in Sioux Falls, and.
00:06:04 Derek
I'm just really excited to see what comes of it here for the city Sioux Falls yeah, it's a great thing to be a part of and show our kids that our career and technical student organizations and programs and our CTE pathways are bigger than just a class, right?
00:06:18 Breanne
They have really true impact and our future careers can have impact on people in ways that we don't even know right now.
00:06:25 Breanne
So can you tell us a little bit about?
00:06:26 Breanne
Actually building the tiny homes so I know that five of the current standing tiny homes, Harrisburg construction learners had a part of.
00:06:34 Derek
Yep, so the the first five that they put up are on site and they're working on them now to finish them off.
00:06:41 Derek
But my students and I we built all of the walls for those buildings.
00:06:45 Derek
So the basically the frame of it, because there is no floor.
00:06:50 Derek
It's a it's concrete slab.
00:06:51 Derek
It's slab on grade.
00:06:53 Derek
So basically the frame of the building was - it was built by my students and I and it's being finished.
00:06:57 Derek
By the workers there at VCCP.
00:07:00 Breanne
Yeah, so different volunteer organizations and people from the Home Builders Association and members and also just different construction companies and building supply companies in the region.
00:07:10 Breanne
Awesome so I know our goal for the spring is eventually the kids are going to build approximately 3 tiny houses here on site.
00:07:18 Breanne
Is that the the plan?
00:07:19 Derek
Yes, that's the plan.
00:07:21 Derek
3 full houses and this time building them.
00:07:25 Derek
To be moved as complete, so we're going to do everything from starting with the walls again and the, but we're going to put a roof over it, and we're going to do all the exterior finishing, so it's waterproof when it gets moved.
00:07:38 Derek
I mean siding shingling windows.
00:07:40 Derek
All of those things that a building needs in order to not get wet inside and then.
00:07:45 Derek
We're going to put them on a trailer and haul them over to the site where these veterans will be living in them.
00:07:51 Derek
And set them down on the concrete slab that will be poured at location.
00:07:54 Breanne
Yeah, and then you also have a big project coming up for the home.
00:07:57 Derek
Show correct yes Sioux Falls home show happens February 24th. Veterans Community Project wants to be there and be a part of it and show the community what's happening.
00:08:08 Derek
And to do that they would like the shell of one of these to be completed.
00:08:12 Derek
So my students and I in the next short while here, yeah, we're going to be putting together one of the homes.
00:08:16 Breanne
Two weeks or so.
00:08:22 Derek
Just the frame of it, so it's going to have all the walls up and they're going to be people at the home are going to be able to walk through it and just see exactly what size these buildings are going to be and the opportunity that this is going to afford those veterans.
00:08:38 Derek
I know that VCP is also going to be doing a little bit of fundraising there.
00:08:44 Derek
At the home show where anybody who would like to can.
00:08:48 Derek
And basically sponsor a stud inside of that building and they'll be given the opportunity to go into the building itself and write any sort of positive message to these veterans that they would like to on that stud.
00:09:01 Derek
And so I think that's an amazing opportunity to just if you can't get your hands on in the project to leave a legacy.
00:09:08 Derek
That's going to impact veterans for a long time.
00:09:10 Breanne
Yeah, to really help people get the size and scope of what a tiny house looks like, but then also just to know like it's really cold today, right?
00:09:17 Breanne
Like eleven - 11 to understand the ability to have a roof over your head, just open so many more doors when you're not concerned about housing.
00:09:26 Breanne
So we've talked a lot about different partnerships in the community and the Community impact.
00:09:31 Breanne
But when we come back to kids and community and talking about what future workforce development looks like, how do you feel that this program is benefiting?
00:09:39 Breanne
Maybe workforce needs as a whole?
00:09:40 Breanne
And where are your kids going after high school?
00:09:43 Derek
Yes, like I said a bit ago, I'm pretty new teacher.
00:09:48 Derek
This is my second year teaching here at Harrisburg and in just my first year I had approximately 7 or 8 seniors last year, and I know five or more of them are currently in the construction field today and that's amazing to just see the impact that this program is already having on the industry.
00:10:10 Derek
To get those workers out there in a much, much needed industry in South Dakota.
00:10:15 Derek
We're very short on construction workers, especially residential or commercial construction.
00:10:21 Derek
So this is a great opportunity to be able to to take go from high school and jump right into the trades if that's what you would like to do, and we also have a partnership with SE tech and we do a couple of dual credit classes that will get our students started on the path to their construction major if they would like to.
00:10:42 Derek
To look into that while they're in high school, yeah.
00:10:44 Breanne
So the technical school route direct to employment.
00:10:47 Breanne
We also have some kids that have jumped into the apprenticeship route through the building trade.
00:10:51 Breanne
So if we sit here and consider all the different opportunities available to kids, we know there's lots of different trade shows and organizations that take place in our community.
00:10:58 Breanne
Have your learners had the opportunity to experience any of those?
00:11:02 Derek
Yeah, there's a couple of fantastic trade shows every year in Sioux Falls.
00:11:07 Derek
There's some amazing opportunities for our students to jump into those trade shows and other similar things.
00:11:14 Derek
Each fall my students and I attend a skills camp that takes place at Southeast Tech.
00:11:19 Derek
It's put on by AGC and they do an amazing job of just introducing students to a lot of different options that the construction industry has to offer in the springtime, we go to a couple of conventions, 1 being the Lumber Convention that takes place here in Sioux Falls.
00:11:36 Derek
And that's coming up here in February.
00:11:37 Breanne
Don't laugh audience right?
00:11:39 Breanne
The Lumber Convention is legit.
00:11:40 Derek
Yes, yes all the all the people you could ever want to meet in the construction industry are going to be there.
00:11:40 Breanne
It's a really great experience for kids.
00:11:50 Derek
Anybody from people that sell windows like Pella or Anderson all the way down to people that are just doing railings on stairways?
00:12:00 Derek
Or balconies or things like that.
00:12:01 Breanne
Decorative elements to decks and things.
00:12:03 Derek
Yep, finishing exterior nice, you know stuff like that.
00:12:08 Derek
So lots of people are going to be there and gives the students opportunities to just see the vastness of the industry and to start to pinpoint.
00:12:16 Derek
Maybe the types of things that they're interested in so they can narrow down their their route as well, and then the home show that we already spoke about is going to be another place that my students and I go.
00:12:28 Derek
In fact, this year we are going to be having a little friendly competition that friendly competition taking place between us and the CTE.
00:12:33 Breanne
Anyway, competition, yes.
00:12:39 Derek
Part of me and my students are going to be preparing for that in the next couple of weeks.
00:12:46 Derek
We're going to be building some yard games, some wooden yard games, bean bag boards, giant giant Yahtzee giant Jenga.
00:12:54 Derek
And then while they're there, the students are going to have to put together a wall and show that they have some framing knowledge.
00:12:59 Breanne
And do a skills test.
00:13:01 Breanne
It's like 10 questions, multiple choice, so it's going to be a great morning of learning and.
00:13:06 Breanne
Then they get to walk through the home show too.
00:13:06 Derek
Right in the home show if you've never been in the Sioux Falls Home show, make it.
00:13:10 Derek
Make it a weekend thing that you go to.
00:13:12 Derek
Cause the amount of people that are there, and if you're a homeowner at all or looking to be a homeowner in the future, the things you'll learn about what exists that you maybe never thought of are invaluable.
00:13:25 Derek
And so same goes for the students, their opportunity to walk through and just see that there's a lot of people out there that can help you when you are home owner or just to know what's out there is valuable information.
00:13:39 Breanne
Yeah, absolutely.
00:13:40 Breanne
And it's a really fun Family Day too.
00:13:41 Breanne
So HBAC Empire is sponsoring some make and.
00:13:44 Breanne
Take craft type items and building boxes.
00:13:47 Breanne
And so if you've got Littles, it's still an OK activity to drag them along and have them spend the afternoon with mom or dad and checking out the home show the place I will attend every year.
00:13:56 Breanne
For sure, definitely a must see.
00:13:58 Breanne
So Mr. Wynia, what's the future for your program?
00:14:00 Breanne
Where do you want to see it grow and you know what opportunities would you like to bring to HS?
00:14:04 Derek
Yeah, so like I said, this program is currently two courses just intro to construction and residential construction.
00:14:11 Derek
For now, that's a good jumping off point, and it's it's been really good for a lot of students.
00:14:15 Derek
Like I said, to jump right into the trades or to to take that route into technical trade school, but in the future there's more course options that I'd like to see added into this type of thing, one being architectural drafting, potentially.
00:14:31 Derek
Maybe a class that's like home maintenance where students will be learning just how to care for the different utilities and things like that in their homes.
00:14:39 Derek
Or to make sure that they you know, have their gutters cleaned out.
00:14:42 Derek
Some people don't realize that that's extremely important thing to do, you know so.
00:14:44 Breanne
Definitely important this winter, yes.
00:14:47 Derek
Like those types of things that I think all people can benefit from, whether they're interested in construction or not, just to reach a wider variety of our students and to give them that opportunity to prepare them better for.
00:14:58 Derek
Their lives, yeah, I think that's awesome.
00:15:01 Breanne
Well, everybody, thanks for joining us again today.
00:15:04 Breanne
He's learning a little bit more about the career and technical education pathways here at Harrisburg High School.
00:15:08 Breanne
If you're interested in getting involved with our Home Builders Academy in any way, I know Mr. Wynia would love some more outside projects.
00:15:14 Breanne
Because usually Mrs. Lynch just comes and knocks on his door and he says yes, let's do these crazy things.
00:15:19 Breanne
So if you're interested, they'll be contact information below this episode.
00:15:23 Breanne
Thanks for joining me today.
00:15:24 Derek
Yeah, thanks for having me again.
