Long Island teens learn construction as part of trade program at local high school

ROOSEVELT, NY (PIX 11) — Students at Roosevelt High School are getting hands-on experience, learning the ins and outs of construction in a program that is the first of its kind to exist at a school district on Long Island, according to school staff. 

The vibrant sounds of drums echoed through the halls of the school Thursday as students celebrated the grand opening of a new construction training center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The cutting-edge room equipped with air hoses, tools, and safety equipment aims to give students the skills they need to excel in a future career as a construction worker.

“For them coming out of construction and having this trade, they’re able to go right into the workforce and gain money and they don’t necessarily have to go to college to learn a trade because they’ll be learning it in high school,” said Dr. Dionne Wynne who serves as the Director of Pupil Personnel Services for the Roosevelt School District. 

The future is bright for students like 14-year-old Neissa Benoit who is hoping to trail-blaze in an industry often dominated by men.

“Now that I’m in this program I already have some kind of thought of what I want to do and what I can do, and they’re very much helping me get hands-on experience,” Benoit said. “A lot of people, when they think about construction they think about a male-dominated career and I feel like I can very much help other girls see that you can do it.”

Andy Villeda is a sophomore in the program who’s looking forward to the endless career opportunities in the industry. 

“I think it’s important because we get more opportunities in our life instead of just dropping out and doing bad stuff,” Villeda said. 

According to staff, students will receive certifications after completing the program as they look to set students up for success in the future. 

“It means that they’re going to have a pathway to be able to provide for their families, to be able to maintain some semblance of middle-class life to be able to purchase and build homes in this direct community,” said New York State Assemblywoman Taylor Darling. “Roosevelt is only one square mile so we are able to really see the impact of anything that we bring here.”

The new program is yet another trade that the school is offering students as they hope to empower them with alternative career paths and give them the skills to succeed.