(Upbeat music)
(hammering)
- If we want to prepare kids for the real world
we need to give them an education that actually
happens in it.
- A lot of times, I sit in class and just wonder -
how does this apply to the world we living in?
How will this help me in the future?
- Soft skills are the most important skills that young
people can have to be successful in work and life
beyond high school.
- Communication, problem solving, critical thinking.
- We're getting our high school students hammers
instead of pencils and putting them to work
in the real world instead of the four walls
of a classroom.
- [Crowd] UCC
(Clapping)
(hammering)
- Even though we're short handed today,
I feel like we got a lot done.
Two claps on two, one, two.
- Students need real world work based learning experiences
and their schools are not positioned to provide
that in an authentic way for them.
Uncommon Construction is a selective apprenticeship
program where young people from different schools
across the city join a diverse team of their peers
to get paid, earn internship credit at school
and scholarships for building a house in a semester.
As a teacher, I very quickly became frustrated
by the walls and constraints of my classroom.
There was this whole host of experiences that I wasn't
able to bring into the classroom that I had to share
with these students and a whole bunch more curiosity
that they had that I wasn't able to tap into.
And, it kinda just clicked for me.
We need to think differently about the walls of the
classroom and in fact maybe even take them apart.
Deconstruct them and rebuild our relationship with them.
Day one, coming to unCommon Construction,
I had never used a hammer before.
We come in not knowing anything.
We leave knowing so much more than we knew
and now I'm a crew leader.
I'm able to teach and lead others
to use these different tools.
UnCommon is like that little step into a big world.
- Three squared and four squared and five squared.
Do you remember what those ones are?
Math is super cool!
So I need to build a ninety degree angle.
There's more math, reading, science, engineering,
interpersonal skills in a day on the build site
than most jobs experience all year.
We need to give kids space to learn how to learn.
And that doesn't come through a textbook curriculum.
So, one of the things that's cool about it
is whether you're an apprentice or anyone.
Employers need employees who have the soft skills
and relevant experience to get a job, keep a job
and earn a promotion.
Looking for more work when you're done, graciously taking
feedback, working well on a team, showing up on time
and rarely being absent without cause - these are the
most important things and the research backs that up.
What's up?
We have a power outage.
Your battery operated nail gun should still work
even if we're not using the air nailer right now.
All right.
That's a good solution.
I believe that we build relationships by building
things together.
And by the end of a four month semester, you have
this virtually completed house that you built
through a shared experience with kids who are different
from you, who go to different schools and live in
different areas.
- Oh yeah!
- Perfect!
- It may be hard labor but it's also experience.
It may be hard work but you also
gain the knowledge from it.
What we're really excited about is that 100% of kids
who complete at least one semester with unCommon
graduate on time.
And 100% of our completers go on to continue their
education or get a job within 3 months of graduating
from high school.
And that impact is really, really powerful and important.
- We'll just crack that guy open.
- In the last four years, we've employed over
140 high school students who have collectively earned
more than $140,000.00 in net pay.
An apprentice who completes one semester with us
earns $800 - $1000 and we match 50 cents on the dollar
with an equity awards scholarship for further education,
industry certifications.
It's specifically designed to remove whatever barrier
is in their way, from academic or career success.
- But, I like thank you guys for the dedication,
the hard work that y'all put in today even though
you know it's a Saturday.
You know, some people don't like to spend their
Saturday's working but you worked hard
and you worked great and smart and I like that.
- [All] You're awesome!
- The skills we learn here could apply anywhere.
It isn't just working hard with hammers,
it's like a open door, all you gotta do is walk through.
- The students in this program are claiming power through
the acquisition of skills, experience, resources
and network they otherwise might not have access to.
And that is critical in changing the long term
life trajectory of the young people in our country.
(Upbeat music)
We believe that all youth should have access
to every opportunity afforded to them.
And that shouldn't be determined by zip code you
grow up in, the resources in your school building,
the quality of instruction you're getting.
We need them to believe in their ability to
pave their own way and I feel like we have
a responsibility to make education matter.
- [All] UnCommon!
(clapping)
(cheering)
And if we can have that be done in a way that elevates
other people - that can be a really powerful
thing that we leave behind.
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