Building Trades – Carpentry students help beautify area parks, structures

“When I called them, they were on board from day one. The City of Pewaukee buys the materials, we provide the labor and the students gain real, hands-on experience.” -- Brandon Angove, Building Trades-Carpentry instructor

With summer just around the corner and the school year quickly coming to a close, children, families and people of all ages will soon be heading to area parks to enjoy hiking, biking, picnicking and other outdoor activities. 

Thanks to students in WCTC instructor Brandon Angove’s Carpentry Experience III and Carpentry Experience IV classes, local parks and buildings have received upgrades and repairs as part of a newly established service-learning project.

Dubbed “Tour de Parks,” Angove’s students spent class time during the spring semester completing work at Simmons Woods Park, Springdale Park and a pump house. Projects were varied and included painting, installing fascia, updating soffits and vents, replacing drywall, demolition work and other repairs.

When Angove initially reached out to City of Pewaukee staff to discuss options for how he and his students could help beautify area parks for residents to enjoy, he was met with an enthusiastic response.

“When I called them, they were on board from day one,” Angove said. “The City of Pewaukee buys the materials, we provide the labor and the students gain real, hands-on experience.”

A benefit to the community -- and to students

Nick Phalin, director of Parks & Recreation for the City of Pewaukee, said Angove and the students’ volunteer efforts have not only refreshed parks and facilities but also lessened a building maintenance backlog.

“These projects have helped the parks’ department and city improve our facilities – specifically when we haven’t had staff time to complete the work to date,” Phalin said.  [The students’] work has improved building conditions at multiple locations, and the contributions of WCTC and the students have benefitted both the city and village of Pewaukee.”

The value of hands-on education

Freya Hargraves and Elliot Holmes, both of whom earned their Building Trades-Carpentry technical diplomas just a few weeks ago, said they value being able to practice their skills right away at a work site and participate in service-learning.

“I really loved this experience,” Hargraves said. “I’ve taken other construction classes before, but nothing really compares to being at the jobsite. As a student, you don’t get that experience too often.”

Added Holmes: “It’s just more real life. You can work things through as you’re doing them at an actual jobsite, and it’s nice to be able to give back to the community.”

While the spring semester was the first time Angove’s students helped to beautify the parks, it won’t be the last.

 “We’re already planning projects at other parks in August,” Angove said. “This has been a great way for students to start a project and see it finished. The hands-on, the visual learning, the working together – they love it.”