Case Study: Anoka-Hennepin Public Schools – Building Futures with Hands-On Learning
Empowering Students Through Home Construction
For over 20 years, Anoka-Hennepin Public Schools has been preparing students for careers in construction through its hands-on STEP Program, teaching them practical skills while building homes that are sold to the community.
Key Partnerships:
Hennepin Technical College and Anoka Technical College: Allow students to earn college credits while participating.
Fleetwood Software: Provides tools for designing doors and cabinets, keeping students trained on industry-standard techniques.
Minnesota Association for Career Technical Administrators: Offers guidance and support for program development.
Process and Outcomes:
Students spend two hours per day working on home construction projects.
Built and sold three-bedroom homes through a public bidding process, providing hands-on experience in carpentry, cabinet-making, and design.
Focused on real-world learning, including safety training and error management, preparing students for careers in skilled trades.
Lessons Learned:
Teacher Expertise Matters: Hire instructors with professional construction experience who enjoy working with students.
Meaningful Tasks Are Key: Ensure students are consistently engaged with hands-on activities to avoid downtime.
Budget for Mistakes: Account for learning errors in the budget to prevent unexpected costs.
Compliance and Transparency: Understand housing laws and inspections to ensure smooth project completion.
Student Voices:
“I wanted to get into plumbing. This program helps me with a lot of fundamentals.” – Regan Glasgow, 18
“The best part is actually building a home and gaining hands-on experience.” – A-H Student
Call to Action: Contact Us for More Information.
Jessica Lipa and Brian LaMotte * What are examples of partnerships that have helped make this program work? The school district has developed partnerships with Hennepin Tech College and Anoka Technical College, so that the high school students can earn college credits in this program. Fleetwood has a cabinet vision software program which is enormously valuable in helping student design doors and cabinets.
As of the 2023-24 school year, Anoka-Hennepin Public Schools students have been building homes for more than 20 years. The case study below describes some of what has happened in the past, and what’s happening during the 2023-24 school year. Students typically spend two hours per day working on this project through the district’s STEP program. Thanks to John Almos, Brian LaMotte, Jessica Lipa and some A-H students who shared information for this case study. Here’s a link to a 90 second video that shows the three-bedroom home that A-H students built during the 2022-23 school year. This house was subsequently sold, like other houses that the students have produced. Here’s an outside view of that house.
* What background/work experience prepared you to teach/run this program? Two teachers are involved in the Anoka-Hennepin House Construction program. One is a carpentry teacher, the other a teacher helping students learn to build cabinets. John Almos, who specializes in cabinet making, did this for six years through college, and then for six years after college. He also did residential cabinet making from his home for 11 years. His supervisor calls him “a kid magnet” because students like working with him so much.
A-H students working inside the home they’re building in the 2023-24 school year What are examples of partnerships that have helped make this program work? The school district has developed partnerships with Hennepin Tech College and Anoka Technical College, so that the high school students can earn college credits in this program. Fleetwood has a cabinet vision software program which is enormously valuable in helping students design doors and cabinets.
A-H students working on a house during the 2023-24 school year. Student Comments: Regan Glasgow, 18 told us: “I wanted to get into plumbing. This program helps me with a lot of fundamentals. I hope to have job stability and want to go straight into plumbing. Another student told us: “The best part of this is the learning experience and actually building a home. I’m definitely interested in the trades but have not yet decided what field I want to concentrate on.” Anything else you’d like educators/community members to know? One of Lipa’s colleagues at Hennepin Tech explained, “The best thing you can teach kids is to love it. Help them have a positive experience.”