Over 70 high school students who are members of the Consortium’s Future Ready Leaders (FRL) program wrapped up a year of hard work and growth during their final meeting of the 2024-25 school year in early April. The students, who come from several area high schools, gathered at the Bricklayers & Allied Craft Workers Apprenticeship Training Facility to celebrate their progress and reflect on a year of promoting career readiness in their schools.
After a quick icebreaker, the students broke into teams for a creative team-building challenge—constructing bridges out of straws. While the activity included plenty of laughs and friendly competition, it also emphasized the importance of collaboration, communication, and problem-solving — core values of the Future Ready Leaders program and something we hear repeatedly from industry leaders that are skills everyone needs to succeed. Winners were determined by seeing how much weight each bridge could hold using pennies.
The day also included a tour of the training center, where students got an up-close look at the talent and craftsmanship involved in the masonry trade. For many, it was an eye-opening opportunity to learn about career paths they might not have considered before.
The meeting concluded with a reflective discussion as students shared highlights from their projects throughout the year during table talks. Students led a variety of efforts at their schools, including organizing college and career fairs, highlighting senior plans to inspire underclassmen, and hosting skill-building workshops for middle school students. One student shared, “I am proud of the fact that the middle schoolers were happy to engage and learn from us,” noting the excitement of younger students who wanted to find ways to connect further. It was clear that Future Ready Leaders not only made an impact on their own development, but also inspired the next generation.
Another student reflected, “I am most proud of our planning process and our professionalism when we were presenting our idea to our principal,” underscoring the leadership and real-world skills they have been building all year long. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive as students celebrated how their efforts helped both themselves and their classmates better prepare for graduation with stronger skills and clearer paths for the future.
As the school year winds down, we are heading into summer with pride in what they’ve accomplished and looking forward to what they have planned for next year. We also made sure to take a little time to lay the groundwork for some expectations for FRL in the 2025-26 school year. If your school isn’t a part of FRL yet and would like to be, please contact Jenn Sethman at jsethman@tcfpe.org.
