“The impact on our agency and clients as a result of the Impact 100 grant is a unique partnership with career technical schools and  a professional organization that serves the construction industries. Everyone wins. ”  970 students (52% Male, 48% Female) have gone through this program during the grant period.

Principal Goals stated in the grant agreement have been accomplished. 
 
  • The State of Ohio Pre-apprenticeship recognition was completed for Woodward High School as well as for Cincinnati Public Schools. The team secured approval from the State of Ohio Apprenticeship Council and Department of Labor.
 
  • Developed and implemented a proprietary student curriculum and classroom project management engagement at Woodward Career Technical High School.  All 7th-9th grade students completed a hands-on project-based learning program, referred to as “Mathematics Applied in Construction”,
  • On target to accomplish the expanded community build in Bond Hill. Plans are to complete 3 residential homes on the Ryland Avenue property in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati, CPS, the Students at Woodward Career Technical HS Impact 100 and ACI.
The biggest challenge for the program was Woodward Career Technical High School students and faculty advocating for a very ambitious plan for the community build – new residential homes. We made progress: We secured the land, developed the construction plans, and the students are initiating work at the high school by assembling modular components until building permits are secured. We removed several substantial trees from the property. 
 
However, our biggest challenge evolved into a significant accomplishment. We ultimately decided to partner with Habitat of Humanity of Greater Cincinnati, CPS, HFHGC, Impact 100 and students at Woodward Career Technical High School will partner to complete 3 homes at 1203 Ryland Avenue beginning in July 2020.
 
ACI transferred 1203 Ryland large lot we purchased back to The Port. The Port will be reassigning 1203 Ryland to Habitat for Humanity Greater Cincinnati. ACI will be supplying a $20,000 contract with HFHGC to help with this sustainable initiative. Habitat will be the owner of the 3 properties, resource the 3 residential homes, act as the general contractor and provide project management, accept liability & risk management and be responsible for selling the homes to low income families.
The impact on our agency and clients as a result of the Impact 100 grant is a unique partnership with career technical schools and professional organization that serves the construction industries. It has created a vital link in the workforce development pipeline, or pathway, for educators and the construction industry. This grant has created a model, and best practice, for school-based workforce development which can be implanted for almost all “career tech” industries. Additionally, the project-based learning efforts have become an integral and sought-after resource for educators throughout the tri-state. This process overall has helped the construction industry of Greater Cincinnati strategize together to develop a unique, and effective solution to a national challenge, we look forward to the end of this process to share what we have learned. 
Students in junior high learn essential math skills while building projects and applying skills, while juniors and seniors earn pre-apprenticeship status and full-time employment upon graduating from high school, and impacts workforce.  Everyone wins.
 Our sustainability plans remains the same: to empower the CPS system to adopt project-based learning and applied math teaching; launch Woodward Career Technical HS as a destination school for students interested in construction trades; establish a career pathway system for Woodward students throughout middle and high school onward to formal apprenticeship programs and or other positive outcomes; institute a building program in the community for economic development in the residential housing sector.
Lydia Burns, the Construction Career Advocate and Impact 100 grant was recently featured in the Business Courier and at the Spirit of Construction November 2019 annual gala.