NextGen Archives - ��ý Construction

��ý Construction Presents NextGen Scholarships

nisaschmitz — Tue, 26 May 2026 14:46:08 +0000

��ý Construction awarded four��$500 scholarships to high school seniors through the company’s��NextGen program.��Rooted in its Community Engagement Core Value and dedication to educating students and teachers about construction, ��ý Construction founded its NextGen community outreach program to support hands-on learning, student resources, and future workforce development.

“At ��ý, we believe early exposure to construction, along with hands-on learning, inspires students and supports the future of our industry and communities,” said Jon Carroll, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer at ��ý Construction. “Through NextGen, we’re blessed to support schools with resources that enhance student learning and to recognize the next generation of construction professionals. These grants and scholarships reflect our commitment to making a meaningful impact where we live and work.”

��ý prides itself on preparing the next generation of leaders. This year, ��ý awarded scholarships to the following high school students planning to pursue a college degree or trade school certification in construction or a related field:

Ethan Habermehl, Columbia High School��

Ethan Habermehl, a senior at Columbia High School, received a $500 NextGen scholarship to put toward a degree in Civil Engineering from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Owen Menke, Columbia High School

Owen Menke, a senior at Columbia High School, received a $500 NextGen scholarship to put toward a Construction Management degree from Missouri State University.

Titan Hires, Litchfield High School

Titan Hires, a senior at Litchfield High School, received a $500 NextGen scholarship to put toward his Business Management degree at Rockford University.

Zachary Duffie, Freeburg High School

Zachary Duffie, a senior at Freeburg High School, received a $500 NextGen scholarship to put toward a Construction Management degree from Southeast Missouri State University.

NextGen also serves as a platform for educating students about the industry. ��ý hosts project site tours for students and faculty, engages students in hands-on STEM activities, drone demonstrations, and hosts important construction milestone events, such as groundbreakings and ribbon-cutting ceremonies.

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��ý Construction Awards NextGen Grants to Schools

nisaschmitz — Thu, 07 May 2026 19:55:31 +0000

��ý Construction awarded six community impact grants to its Construction Management education clients through its NextGen program. Applying its Community Engagement Core Value to one of its primary markets, ��ý Construction created NextGen to support local schools and their mission to prepare the next generation of leaders.

Aviston Elementary School’s Accessible & Inclusive Literacy Library

��ý Construction awarded $500 to Aviston Elementary School to support establishing an accessible and inclusive library that can provide literary services to students with physical, communication, and developmental disabilities.

Central School District 104’s Girls Emerging as Women Leaders

Central School District 104’s Girls Emerging as Women Leaders (GEWL) received $500 from ��ý’s NextGen program to fund its store, which provides essential toiletries and supplies to students in need.

Lichfield Elementary School’s Science Olympiad Program

In support of STEAM learning, Litchfield Elementary School’s Science Olympiad program received $500 from NextGen. The competitive team includes 15 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders who complete science projects in preparation for an annual competition against surrounding schools.

Litchfield Early Childhood Center’s STEM Kits

��ý Construction’s $500 NextGen community impact grant will fund Litchfield Early Childhood Center’s STEM kits for kindergarten and first grade. The kits will enable students to experiment with the concepts of force and motion toward learning basic science concepts.

Richland County Early Learning Center’s STEM Bridge Building Project

Richland County’s Early Learning Center will apply its $500 NextGen community impact grant from ��ý Construction toward its STEM bridge building project, which demonstrates to its students how engineers build bridges while considering structure, balance, and strength.

Pana Elementary School’s Science Olympiad & Family Literacy Night

��ý Construction’s $500 NextGen community impact grant will support both Pana Elementary School‘s family literacy night and its competitive Science Olympiad team.

��ý Construction’s NextGen program also provides scholarships to students and educational opportunities to its Construction Management clients, including site tours for teachers and students; hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) activities; drone demonstrations; steel topping celebrations; and presentations on the many career opportunities in the construction industry.

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��ý Construction Announces Recipients of Inaugural NextGen Initiative

nisaschmitz — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 19:56:38 +0000

��ý Construction is pleased to announce the 2025 recipients of its NextGen program. The NextGen program connects ��ý to students and teachers at the local school districts they serve to unlock interactive opportunities for students to prepare for their futures while advancing their community. ��ý also provides advanced education opportunities through impact contributions or post-high school scholarships. This year, ��ý presented three scholarships and seven community impact contributions to school districts across Southern Illinois.��

Scholarships were provided to Jase Brentlinger from Freeburg Community High School, Clayton Logsdon from Litchfield High School, and Joshua Amann from Mascoutah High School.��

Community Impact Contributions were presented to the following schools:��

Aviston Elementary School's Students Offering All-Inclusive Recreation (S.O.A.R.) Program��
Central School District's Girls Emerging as Women Leaders Group and the 104 Store��
Litchfield Elementary School's Science Olympiad Program��
Litchfield Early Childhood Center's Activities Program��
North Clay CUSD #25's Industrial Arts Class��
Richland County Early Learning's STEAM Learning Kits and Activities��
Pana Elementary School split their contribution for a Friendship Garden and STEAM Activities��

"We cherish the growing partnerships we've developed with our school clients, teachers and students," said Jon Carroll, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer at ��ý Construction. "We see how exposure to construction, along with hands-on learning, inspires students from early education to high school to consider a construction industry career. We are humbled and blessed for the opportunity to see first-hand how this generation can meet the workforce needs of our industry."��

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Constructor Magazine Profiles ��ý’s NextGen Program

nisaschmitz — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 19:47:31 +0000

Publication:

While They’re Young

In pursuit of the next generation of constructors, AGC members and other organizations are moving up — and down — the educational spectrum to engage tomorrow’s talent today.

By A.D. Thompson

Every kid in the world loves LEGOs. But only some LEGO kids have the passion that carries them forward to a place in life where they’re really building the hospital, the school and maybe if they’re lucky, the pirate ship (assuming it’s part of a resort complex).

And in an industry where workforce development has topped the wish list for more than a decade — a recent survey by and confirms members’ continuing struggle to stay staffed — tapping into this natural resource has been challenging.

Few school districts have programming that supports construction careers. Most that do, don’t tap into the pool until high school, and many don’t include spaces outside the classroom, where real-time skills — and excitement in their employment — help engage.

Post-graduate challenges, too, chip away at the ranks of those who might join the workforce.

Around the nation, AGC members are creating unique programs to fortify those ranks.

Generation “Next”

Z’s already hitting the workplace but the one right behind it, Generation Alpha, is about to embark on its first wave of “tweens.” The folks at ��ý Construction, a member of multiple AGC chapters, which specializes in construction management, have their eyes on this soon-to-be prize.

“As proud sponsors of , and other development programs, we’re committed to fostering growth and opportunity,” said John Carroll, executive vice president and chief operations officer. “The NextGen initiative was a natural extension of this commitment, helping us connect students and teachers with the construction of their facilities and providing interactive opportunities for students to shape their futures while advancing our communities.”

The gist: Through NextGen, students from pre-K to high school are encouraged to pursue careers in construction management, architecture, engineering, skilled trades, safety or quality, participating in everything from groundbreaking to dedication ceremonies as they mark project milestones.

“��ý also offers hands-on career success opportunities though STEAM learning, paid internships and workforce development programs,” Carroll noted.

Community impact sponsorships see elementary and middle school students submitting detailed plans and goals for a group project or initiatives that will create lasting positive impacts where they live.

“The program started through conversations with clients,” said Carroll, “exploring how we could better engage their students outside of the classroom and address their future needs.”

The first round of wards was distributed to ’s School Olympiads Program, and , all in ��ý’s home state of Illinois, in May of this year.

“As we expand the program, our aim is to reach more schools in the community and create a lasting, meaningful impact that inspires students,” said Carroll. “We’ll continue to grow alongside the evolving needs of our construction management clients, finding new ways to help students develop and thrive within the industry.”

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��ý Announces NextGen Program Recipients

daniellebergmann — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 18:28:22 +0000

Publication:

��ý Construction has announced the 2024 recipients of its NextGen program. ��ý selected five recipients for the program’s inaugural year and presented two scholarships and three community impact contributions.

NextGen is a collaboration between ��ý and its education clients to connect students and teachers with the construction of their facilities and unlock interactive opportunities for students to build their futures while advancing communities. ��ý also provides advanced education opportunities through impact contributions or post-high school scholarships.

Scholarships were awarded to:

Noah Foppe of Freeburg Community High School in Freeburg, Ill.
Kirsten Gudausky of Litchfield High School in Litchfield, Ill., part of the South Central Illinois Regional Training and Innovation Center

The 2024 Community Impact Contributions were presented to:

Litchfield Elementary School’s Olympiads Program in Litchfield, Ill.
Richland County Early Learning Center in Olney, Ill. and
South Central Middle School in Kinmundy, Ill.

“As a longtime partner in education, we believe that fostering development in our schools greatly impacts our communities,” said Jon Carroll, executive vice president and COO at ��ý Construction. “Our mission goes far beyond building quality buildings; we seek to inspire and promote positive character building and believe we can do that by offering real-time learning and skills training into each grade-level curriculum, from early education through high school and beyond.”

Launched in late 2023, NextGen aims to encourage students in the PreK-12 sector to pursue careers in construction management, architecture, engineering, skilled trades, safety, or quality. Through NextGen, students participate in celebrating major project milestones, from groundbreaking and dedication ceremonies to on-site class tours. ��ý also offers hands-on career success opportunities through STEAM learning, paid internships, and workforce development programs.

School districts submit applications for community impact sponsorships or academic scholarships based on the focused age group of the students.

The community impact sponsorship benefits elementary or middle school districts by supporting community initiatives. Classes submit an impact application detailing their plans and goals for a group project or initiative that has a lasting impact on their community.

The academic scholarship benefits high schools, community colleges, or universities by offering an annual sponsorship to a high school senior or college student pursuing a career in the AEC industry.

For more information about ��ý’s NextGen Initiative, visit /poettker-nextgen/

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NextGen Archives - ������ý Construction

������ý Construction Presents NextGen Scholarships