For 20 students at Premier High School – Houston (Gallery Furniture North), three mornings of measuring, cutting, sanding, and building offered more than a lesson in construction. They offered a chance to discover new skills, meet successful women in the workforce, and build confidence by trying something new.
From August 18-20, Women Building America brought its Girls Construction Camp to the campus, giving participating students an immersive introduction to construction and the skilled trades.
Led by Lisa Cortez and supported by women working in the trades, the three-day experience put students to work almost immediately. Divided into small groups, participants learned how to measure materials, operate a miter saw, sand edges with a palm sander, assemble and paint their projects, and ultimately transform their work into finished planter boxes.
By the end of the camp, each student had built a planter box of her own.
But what students built during those three mornings reached far beyond what they could carry home.
Building Skills and Confidence
Throughout the camp, students had opportunities to learn directly from women who have built successful careers in traditionally male-dominated industries. Volunteers shared their professional experiences, discussed different career pathways, and spent one-on-one time connecting with students.
Students also participated in practical lessons designed to prepare them for life beyond high school, including a session on understanding credit scores. They even had an opportunity to try their hand at masonry and learn how to lay brick.
The experience was not about convincing every student to pursue a career in construction. Instead, it was about allowing them to explore what is possible, whether that meant discovering a new career pathway or simply gaining the confidence that comes from operating a tool for the first time and seeing what they could create with it.
The students also heard from Kathy Britton, owner of Perry Homes, who visited the camp to share her experience and encouragement. Houston businessman and philanthropist Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale also stopped by to personally recognize and congratulate the students.
At the conclusion of the camp, each participant left with the planter box she had built, a certificate recognizing her participation, and, perhaps most importantly, the experience of accomplishing something that had been completely unfamiliar just three days earlier.
Premier High Schools extended its appreciation to Women Building America and the many professionals, volunteers, and organizations that made the experience possible, including Cornerstone Capital Bank, Whelan Advisory, Perry Homes, Builders FirstSource, Greater Houston Builders Association, Slim Plumbing LLC, Pulte Homes Group, Newmark Homes, and John Burns Research & Consulting.
Twenty students. Twenty planter boxes. Three mornings.
And much more built along the way.
To learn more about Premier High School – Houston (Gallery Furniture North) or to enroll, visit www.premierhighschools.com/Houston-Gallery-Furniture-North.
