RF student graduates college before high school

By Alyssa Van Duyse Chippewa Valley Technical College

RIVER FALLS – John Klecker might be considered a current-day Doogie Hows –

er of construction.

Klecker, 18, graduat – ed from River Falls High School on Sunday, but two weeks ago, he graduated from Chippewa Valley Tech – nical College in River Falls.

It's not typical for teens to graduate from college before high school, but with CVTC oering high school acade – mies where students attend college during their high school years, it's becoming more common, said Justin Borgwardt, River Falls Resi –

dential Construction instruc – tor.

When Klecker found out he could learn a skill, get full college credit and grad – uate from both schools at the same time, he was in.

"It is my senior year, and I didn't want to be sitting in a classroom all day," he said while standing in the garage of a home he helped build recently. "This was a good opportunity. For me to be outside and only in the class – room two days a week and get hands-on experience, I really wanted to do it." Although Klecker never had a huge interest in con – struction previously, he said now that he's actually done the work, it's a lot of "fun." He also said he under – stands better how what he was learning in high school translates to a profession like construction, where he's using math and measuring skills.

But it wasn't always right angles and rainbows. Kleck – er said pulling up on the job site in River Falls for the .rst time, to a freshly poured basement and nothing else, was daunting.

"It was so interesting," he said. "We just looked at each other. Everyone is new to this. But you see the founda – tion, and you start laying the mudsill, and then one by one, walls go up, and then all of a sudden, the roof trusses are on, and interior walls are up, and it just moves." Borgwardt said most of his students don't have con – struction experience, but they can build a house by the time they've completed their nine-month course.

"It actually works to their advantage to have no prior experience because they ha – ven't picked up bad habits," he said. "We teach them the building code and the why behind what they are doing. The process is slower be – cause we're explaining as we go, but their future employ – ers appreciate it." Borgwardt said he takes pride in knowing that the students are ready to build a home when they graduate from the program. Students learn blueprint reading, es –

timating, framing and con – struction safety, but they also learn soft skills like commu –

nication, accountability, in – tegrity and responsibility.

They have the background knowledge to start their own business. They can easily be trained to be building inspec – tors because they have the background, he said.

He's also happy to see a shift in thinking among com –

munities and potential stu – dents.

"It's encouraging to see a shift in people's attitudes towards accepting the trades as a viable career choice," he said. "We're starting to see more parents willing to ac – cept their kids entering into this kind of .eld. We see at – titudes change, and that's a good thing. Our communities need these skilled workers."