It’s not every day that a person gets a chance to gain insight into the ins and outs of a building under construction prior to the shiny new finished product. As a part of our commitment to building engagement in K-12 schools, W.M. Jordan Company organized tours with teachers and students at Roland-Grise Middle School in Wilmington, North Carolina. Attendees got a firsthand look at the construction site that they walk past every day. After suiting up in hard hats, vests and safety glasses, teachers and students were educated about the behind-the-scenes of the construction world.

Led by our Roland-Grise Project Team, the teachers and the Technology and Engineering students were guided through the hallways and classrooms of the building being renovated.  Touring their old stomping grounds for the first time since the project began, the seventh and eighth graders could see and understand how the renovation will transform their former classrooms. For the sixth graders, it was the chance to learn the background story behind their future upgraded learning spaces.

Integrated into each class tour was the opportunity for students to understand the dynamic structural, mechanical, electrical and design components of their new classroom building. This offered a glimpse into the diverse array of construction-related careers that make every successful construction project possible. Including end users in the construction project not only boosts engagement, but also helps lay the foundation for our future construction and industry leaders.