Salem, Oregon – Governor Tina Kotek recently paid a visit to Amity High School, where a bustling construction trades classroom is turning students into builders—and changing lives across Oregon. John Stearns, the Career and Technical Education Director, runs the high school’s Construction Trades program. It gives students a chance to learn skills that they can use outside of school.
Governor Kotek talked to children who were working hard to build little houses as part of an expanding project called Team Oregon Build (TOB). The Oregon Department of Education’s Career Connected Learning framework pays for the project, which brings together state and local education leaders, industry partners, and communities to achieve two goals: giving students access to good jobs in construction and giving people in crisis the transitional housing they need right away.
While the Governor moved through the workshop, she heard students talk about why these classes are important to them. Some others commented about how exciting it was to pick up tools and learn how to measure, cut, and build. Others felt a newfound joy in knowing their efforts may aid Oregonians battling homelessness or recovering from natural catastrophes like wildfires. For a lot of people, the potential to serve their neighbors in genuine and meaningful ways is just as vital as the skills they learn.
“Thank you to the students, staff, and partners who are building transitional homes through Team Oregon Build to help Oregonians who need shelter from the streets or after a disaster,” Governor Kotek said. “I was so impressed by the students’ skills and sense of mission to help their neighbors. Truly awesome.”…