Questar III's Columbia-Greene Education Center students with Brenda Adams, Habitat Director: L-R: Adam Rouse, Kevin Passaro, William Kirk, Teacher Bill Ebel, James Park, Tyrone Bell, Habitat Site Facil. & Mentor Karla Kavanaugh, Shawn Reynolds, Mentor Dave Warner
On February 18, Questar III Construction Technologies students drove their last nail in a Habitat for Humanity project in Hudson.
Two classes of students from Columbia-Greene Educational Center in Hudson worked every Friday since last fall on this work-based learning program. Armed with hammers and measuring tapes, students worked alongside seasoned contractors and community volunteers from every walk of life on a common goal.
Brenda Adams, the Habitat director, thanked students for helping two families realize the dream of homeownership. ” We appreciated your enthusiasm and hard work in all kinds of weather. You should be proud of what you’ve done.”
Students hung doors, installed trim and cabinets, and built a laundry platform. They also built rear porches which required site work, digging holes for footings, pouring concrete, erecting porch frames, and making stairs and railings.
The Habitat home was designed to fit in with the historic Hudson neighborhood. Habitat used federal style windows and cedar siding on the front of the building.
Adams said Questar III’s partnership with Habitat not only helped her organization reach its goals, but also gave students hands-on experience working with different generations.
Karla Kavanaugh, from Octagon Builders, an all-women construction company, served as the site supervisor for Habitat and one of the students’ mentors. She said she enjoyed working with students on this project.
“This was a match made in heaven,” she said. “The kids get a physical place to work and learn, and Habitat gets a home built.”
Adams credited teacher Bill Ebel for getting students involved in the community. “Bill leads by example, with passion for his students and his work. We hope to start one of our homes in September, so his students can build from the ground up.”
Now in his second year of teaching after nearly 24 years in the construction and home restoration industry, Ebel is passing on his knowledge and experience to the next generation.
Ebel said the goal of his two-year program is to prepare students for entry-level work in carpentry or related fields, or to continue their education at college, pursuing a degree in a field such as construction management.
“Carpentry is an overview trade that teaches how everything in construction goes together including electrical, foundations, roofing, insulation, and plumbing,” he said.
Certified by the New York State Builders’ Association, Questar III’s Construction Technologies program gives students a chance to earn industry licensing and explore “green” building technologies.
Students have the opportunity to receive Home Energy Analyst and Technician (HEAT) certification thanks to a partnership with Hudson Valley Community College’s Workforce Development Institute.
The HEAT certification curriculum combines elements of building science applications, home energy performance evaluation, measurement of cost-effectiveness of new, energy savings applications, and trouble-shooting home energy, health, and safety problems using a “whole-house approach.”
Any student who successfully completes the HEAT course and passes the final exam receives a valuable technical certification. With instructor recommendation near the end of the senior year, the student receives a fully paid scholarship to take a related advanced course at Hudson Valley Community College.
“Last year we had a student who did that and two weeks after graduation he was hired by Columbia Opportunities as a weatherization technician. He’s now working for the same employer as an energy auditor,” Ebel said.
Students like David Anderson, a senior from Coxsackie-Athens enjoyed the hands-on portion of the program.
“I’ve always been building stuff, starting with Legos when I was five. Now I’m getting hands-on experience on a real building site, plus industry certifications from both OSHA and the HEAT program.”
The students learn about structure from Ebel and Mike Veeder, the HVAC instructor, teaches them about heating, cooling and mechanical systems so the students also get a certificate in that field.
Graduates can choose to continue in an internship with a Building Performance Institute (BPI) accredited company, or pursue other certifications offered by BPI.
Ebel said the training, which was developed by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), provided the students with the opportunity to broaden their skills and employment options in the field.
“HEAT will lead to careers in weatherization and building performance in new construction and upgrades,” Ebel said.
The Habitat project is an example of the work-based learning effort at Columbia-Greene according to Mary Andrus, the coordinator of the program.
“All students in our Career Technical Education programs have similar opportunities for job shadowing and internships.”
