Although the groundbreaking has been cancelled twice, the new facility that will house the Careers in Construction program in El Paso County Colorado School District 49 will still be built near Patriot High School. The Falcon Community Builders for Classrooms donated $500,000 for the project.Sarah Jack, administrator and one of the FCBCís founders, said the 4,800-square-foot facility represents one of many capital-only projects the 501 (c) 3 organization has helped D 49 fund over the past 15 years. ìWe have raised over $8 million and completed projects on behalf of the district and in cooperation with the district,î she said. ìThe Careers in Construction program will give students an additional pathway after graduation.îThe Home Builders Association will run the program in conjunction with D 49, and the facility will include classroom space for workshops conducted by the construction industry, Jack said. ìIf students complete the classroom work, they get certified and can hopefully then go to work right after graduation,î she said.The FCBC raises money from the voluntary fees paid by builders who want to contribute to the school district for educational purposes, Jack said. Other capital projects the FCBC has completed include the second story wing and athletic complex at Vista Ridge High School; the scoreboard and new turf field at Falcon High School; and delivery vehicles and activity buses for the district as a whole, she said.Jack said they are hopeful the Careers in Construction program facility will be open to students for the 2019-2020 school year.
