Between history lessons and algebra exams, students at the center are also learning everything they need to know about the construction industry. They are getting a healthy dose of hands-on experience in activities ranging from carpentry to bricklaying, sheet metal work, and a variety of piping and plumbing applications.
The school was started three years ago by the St. Louis chapter of the Associated General Contractors (AGC). Members of the chapter noticed a definite shortage of young people choosing construction careers in the area, and they felt public schools did little to encourage students to explore career opportunities in the trades. AGC decided to take matters into its own hands. That decision was the impetus behind the creation of the first charter high school to emphasize the construction industry.