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STEM / Engineering
        Teaching Today Wisconsin | Winter 2024 Volume 2                                                                                       Page 13

                     New Richmond High School’s Blueprints to a Successful Future



                                                                                building benches, a dog house, a utility trailer   The benefits of the Building Construction
                                                                                floor,  and  stairs.  These  projects  represent   class  extend  far  beyond  the  classroom.  The
                                                                                skill-building lab activities that bridge the gap   course  equips  students  with  life-long  skills
                                                                                between theory and practical application.  essential  for  homeownership  and  mainte-
                                                                                   one  notable  partnership  is  with  Coun-  nance. The class serves as a practical gateway
                                                                                tryside  Plumbing  and  heating.  beyond   to higher education and, eventually, success-
                                                                                providing information and insights, this part-  ful careers in the construction industry. “This
                                                                                nership  involves  tangible  support  through   course is preparing me so that I can eventu-
                                                                                equipment donations which enriches students’   ally help my dad by working for his business,”
                                                                                learning experiences. These connections with   said NRhS Junior, brandon hiltner. “I’m just
                                                                                industry professionals are invaluable, offering   getting better by learning the techniques Mr.
                                                                                students a network and potential pathways for   Vogler is teaching me.”
                                                                                their future careers.                  The  hands-on  nature  of  the  course  is
                                                                                   “I am graduating a year early and I will   pivotal.  It  allows  students  not  only  to  learn
                                                                                be leaving for the Marine Corps as a Combat   essential skills but also to construct functional
                                                                                Engineer in June,” said Perry. “As a Combat   items from paper to a finished product. This
                                                                                Engineer,  I  will  be  designing  where  people   approach  goes  beyond  traditional  education,
                                                                                live overseas and building it. This class gives   serving as a foundation for potential careers in
                                                                                you  all  of  the  experience  you  need  to  build   construction. The building Construction class
                                                                                everything  from  the  ground  up  with  limited   at NRhS is a pathway to building success, one
                                                                                resources.”                        project at a time.
                                                                                   At  the  heart  of  the  building  Construc-
        School District of New Richmond     slab construction, and more, the curriculum is   tion class lies the motivation for students: the
            New Richmond high School’s building   a robust exploration of the construction indus-  ability to turn theoretical knowledge into tan-
        Construction class is not just a course, it’s a   try.  Students  learn  the  importance  of  project   gible, real-world structures. The class operates   newrichmond.k12.wi.us
        transformative journey for students passionate   mapping, guidelines, obeying building codes,   as a cohesive team, using blueprints to guide
        about the construction industry. Spanning two   and conducting ongoing inspections. The class   them through the process of construction.
        hours  daily  throughout  the  entire  academic   instills a culture of safety and quality in every
        year,  this  hands-on  program  offers  a  com-  project.
        prehensive  curriculum,  real-world  projects,   “Within  this  course,  we  are  teaching
        industry  partnerships,  and  valuable  life-long   students  everything  from  the  foundation  to
        skills.                             building construction industry, and the biggest
            To  ensure  students  are  well-prepared   thing is safety,” said Vogler. “It’s important to
        for  the  challenges  of  the  construction  field,   know how to use the tools and be safe using
        the  building  Construction  class  requires   them, and they are getting the hands-on expe-
        completion  of  prerequisite  courses  such  as   rience that they need through this class.”
        Manufacturing and Design, Wood Techniques,   one hallmark of the building Construc-
        and  Cabinet  and  Furniture  Making.  These   tion  class  is  its  commitment  to  hands-on
        foundational  courses  set  the  stage  for  a  rig-  learning.  Students  actively  engage  in  con-
        orous curriculum covering a diverse range of   structing  storage  sheds,  outdoor  classrooms,
        topics.  “The  course  is  good  for  all  students   bridges, and various projects within the Dis-
        because someday everyone is going to either   trict. “hands-on experience is very important
        own a home or be renting a home, and should   because  you  can  identify  what  the  materials
        know  how  to  troubleshoot  and  repair  things   are, what the different saws are, and the proper
        when they go wrong,” said Technology Edu-  way to use them,” said NRhS Junior, Chance
        cation Instructor, Jeremy Vogler.   Perry.
            From construction materials, hand tools,   Recent projects showcase the diversity of
        and power tools, to job safety, working condi-  their skills: constructing the musical set, craft-
        tions, building design, print reading, outdoor   ing dividers for Paperjack Elementary School,
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