Three FCHS seniors received the highest team score while working on a project with professionals from the Morton Buildings company. Experts from Morton Buildings of Illinois worked directly with NIACC students for two weeks to increase their education and training on design and building.
Quinten Peterson, Mike Larson, and Seth Ralston started the NIACC Building Trades program last August through the Career Link program partnership between NIACC and FCHS. By the time they graduate from high school, they will have completed more than 20 semester hours of NIACC Building Trades course work.
Career Link is an educational opportunity that prepares students for a successful career by taking college courses while in high school. Career Link provides credits to meet high school graduation requirements, as well as requirements for two- and four-year degrees. All tuition and textbook fees are paid through an agreement between the local high school and NIACC.
The three students worked on a three-man team to build an 8 x 12 Morton shed. “The other three teams had four students each, yet the Forest City three-man team earned top honors and received the highest point total from Morton officials for their project,” said Gregg Helmich, NIACC Building Trades instructor.
For their winning effort, each student received a $125 value Stiletto tool and a Morton hooded sweatshirt.
In addition to the Morton Building project, the Forest City seniors spent much of their year gaining hands-on skills constructing Habitat for Humanity homes. In addition, last November they participated with fellow Building trades students in “Eight Days of Hope” serving as volunteer carpenters to rebuild flooded homes in Nashville, TN. Gregg Helmich served as the NIACC team leader for this volunteer experience.|
