At Fine Homebuilding we believe that for too long true craftsmanship in America has gone unrecognized and underappreciated. It’s why we’ve established the #KeepCraftAlive scholarship in partnership with SkillsUSA. Through these scholarships, which we’ve awarded for the past three years—and through our collective efforts of the KeepCraftAlive program—we aim to ignite a passion for the trades and to support those who will carry on a legacy of craftsmanship in home building. This is important work, and Fine Homebuilding is committed to doing all that it can to celebrate those who are passionate about building the best homes possible, in the best way possible. Of the 24 students who will be receiving one of our 2019 KeepCraftAlive scholarships to support their continued training and education, nine of them will be training in the categories of welding, masonry, carpentry and cabinetmaking. We’ve proud to feature them here. If you’d like to show your support for KeepCraftAlive and for those who are passionate about pursuing careers in building, please consider making a direct donate to our scholarship fund with SkillsUSA, here.
Interest Area: Welding
School: Highland High School
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
“Welding has changed my life. Ever since I laid my first bead I’ve loved everything about welding. From the colors of stainless steel to the satisfying motion of the filler rod being dipped into my weld pool with TIG. Welding gives me an opportunity to use my creative abilities in school and create something beautiful, functional, and long lasting. My dad has always told me “if your humble and hardworking, you will always go farther in life than the cocky and talented”. Every time I start a weld bead I remember to always do my best and never short change myself. My welding teacher inspires me everyday in knowing that girls can make it in the predominantly male welding industry. She has taught me the value of integrity and quality work.”
Interest Area: Masonry
School: Harlingen High School
Hometown: Harlingen, Texas
“The process of building amazes me. Within a month a house could be standing. A place someone would call home for the rest of their life and may even pass on generation to generation. What #keepcraftalive signifies to me is an effort to keep inspiring people to bring their creativity and imagination and skill into their craft. Whether it’s art, building or even singing, it’s all that makes this world go round. “
Interest Area: Cabinetmaking
School: North Cobb
Hometown: Kennesaw, Georgia
“I started woodworking as nothing more than a way for me to feed the urge I had to create things. As I got older and more advanced with my techniques, woodworking became something that I couldn’t get enough of, there were always new things to learn and try…After graduating this May, I will be attending The Savannah College of Art and Design to major in Industrial Design with a focus in Furniture Design.”
Interest Area: Carpentry
School: Bayport Blue Point High School
Hometown: Bellport, New York
” I will graduate from high school in June with a NYS Regents Diploma. I have made Honor Roll several quarters and am a strong candidate for college, however, I’ve chosen to continue year two of the Carpentry/Residential Home Improvement Program because I can’t imagine working in any other field.”
Interest Area: Carpentry & Masonry
School: Lincoln High School
Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska
“Ever since I was a small girl, I had the dreams and desires to work with my hands. Being a Middle Eastern girl, I was never afforded the opportunities in my native country of Iraq to do the same things as boys. Being in the construction pathway in TCA (The Career Academy) I was able to experience and fall in love with construction. The more construction projects I experienced, the more I enjoyed working in this field.”
Interest Area: Carpentry & Cabinetmaking
School: Northwest-Shoals Community College
Hometown: Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
“I have always been fascinated with the idea of creating a work of art with a few tools and my very own hands. I am the type of person who strives for the best quality and satisfaction of a well-built piece of art. Whether it is furniture, cabinets or simply something to look at, it needs to be created with passion. “
Interest Area: Carpentry
School: Gadsden State Community College
Hometown: Boaz, Alabama
“I started my own business as a Handyman when I was 17 years old. My business has been very successful. I try to be honest with my customers, show up on time and do good work for everyone. By going to college I have learned the proper way to build houses and many other skills. It has helped me in my business. I have been in college for two semesters now. I still have few to go. During this time I have built a house for habitat for a humanity with my college team. By going to college, I have the opportunity to be the best carpenter I can be.”
Interest Area: Woodworking & Cabinetmaking
School: Calhoun High School
Hometown: Calhoun, Georgia
“One of my favorite creations is the table I made with two other students at school for the SkillsUSA state woodworking competition. We thought out, designed, and built a coffee table with an American flag top made of red and white oak hardwood flooring, along with a black walnut union. The table also had a red and white oak hardwood shelf arranged in a herringbone pattern and was held together by an industrial pipe base. This is one of my favorites because of the immense challenge it was to build it due to all the steps within the process and having to not go too far ahead at once, Woodworking is special to me not only because I get to take a design in my mind and create it with my hands, but also because it has taught me many of the soft skills I will need in the path ahead.”
Interest Area: Carpentry & Cabinetmaking
School: Northwest-Shoals Community College
Hometown: Muscle Shoals, Alabama
“Building things has always been a passion of mine and something that I enjoy doing. I attend Northwest Shoals Community College where I am taking cabinetmaking… My great grandad was a cabinetmaker and that’s what really piqued my interest in the trade…cabinetmaking has taught me so much about the process of building things well.”
