A community partnership between nonprofit College Mentors for Kids and F.A. Wilhelm Construction is exposing kids to careers in construction.
Undergraduates from the Wabash College chapter of College Mentors for Kids worked with Wilhelm to teach kids about estimating, planning, safety and other topics of construction. Forty fourth and fifth grade boys from Hoover Elementary School and their Wabash student mentors met on the Wabash campus Thursday to learn what it takes to construct a building from beginning to end.
To let the kids try out the processes, seven Wilhelm employee volunteers led the kids and mentors in a search-and-find game about estimating and in making their own birdhouses. The children also learned about the company’s recent projects on the Wabash campus — the re-imagination for Martindale Hall.
Built in 1961, Martindale Hall’s re-imagination included a complete demolition and redo of the interior and included exterior reconfiguration facade improvements, modernizing the structure to house 79 students and create large gathering spaces for student engagement and interaction. Part of a larger investment in cross-campus student housing, Martindale’s redesign includes different room configurations, common areas, group study rooms and a large “living” room.
Given its storied history as home to many Wabash alumni and its prominent location in the heart of activity, this project is a showcase of successful construction and a visual representation of the concepts students learned during their time with Wilhelm mentors.
The activity wrapped up with the kids exploring a concrete pump truck and holding a question and answer session with the pump truck operator.
These educational activities allowed kids to learn about new careers and speak to professionals in the field who could share the post-secondary education necessary for their careers.
“What’s not to love about the College Mentors for Kids organization and program?” said Robert Ramey, productivity improvement manager with Wilhelm. “Young adults prepping themselves to enter society as college graduates that will contribute as professionals, helping shape and build foundations for elementary students craving development and exploring the world through a different point of view. Two groups of students, worlds apart, learning from one another and producing positive results. I thoroughly enjoy devoting my time to this effort of immersive learning.”
In addition to lending time and talent, Wilhelm also made the lead gift for College Mentors for Kids’ Brighter Futures campaign; it was the single-largest corporate gift in the company’s history.
“Giving back is a responsibility not to be taken lightly,” Wilhelm president Phil Kenney said. “All children should have the opportunity to grow; and through mentoring, educational activities and exposure to future possibilities, each of us has the chance to affect future generations in meaningful and impactful ways.”
Wabash senior and College Mentors for Kids chapter president Braden Quackenbush said the hands-on activity achieved one of the organization’s goals of connecting kids’ interests with careers and majors.
“What I like most about it is that they provide materials and expertise that we can’t usually offer, and the kids really get passionate about the real-world experience with construction,” he said.