Construction is among the several career and technical education programs offered by high schools in the Queen Creek Unified School District.

Queen Creek High School is helping students find a passion for building.

Junior Adelina Padilla initially decided to take the class because her golf coach, Donald Gordon, was the instructor, making it an easy choice.

With future career goals in real estate and interior design in mind, Padilla sees the construction program as a foundation for understanding home improvement and renovation.

“For me, construction is just a good thing to know,” she stated in a QCUSD press release.  “My parents don’t know how to build, so they’re always asking me to help. I’ve learned a lot about working together, and I love that we spend more time building instead of just sitting at a desk.”

In the class, Padilla and her peers take on dozens of projects such as building benches and cornhole boards.

Through these hands-on assignments, Padilla has learned to use tools such as drills, table saws and sanders.

Beyond technical skills, Padilla stated that she has also gained problem-solving abilities and teamwork experience.

 “CTE is helping me build my future,” she stated in the release.