Charlotte Middle Schoolers Discover Joy of Building at Free Summer Camp
The Rosendin Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, partnered with local Charlotte construction professionals and volunteers to help 10 middle school students discover the joy of building hands-on projects. TRF Camp Build is a free weeklong construction camp held in cities nationwide to teach children about career options rarely taught in schools.
Under expert supervision, 7th through 9th-grade students from nine schools around the Charlotte area learned specialized construction skills, including using power tools safely, wiring and building lamps and switch labs, sawing, sanding, and soldering copper stands. They also got to build virtually using VR and Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology used in the building industry.
“We are thankful to all our volunteers and partners who took the time to help teach our campers new skills and the joy that comes with building something with your hands,” said Jolsna Thomas, President of The Rosendin Foundation. “We designed TRF Camp Build to build and empower the next generation of builders, and it was inspiring to see students who had never picked up a power tool before walk away with new confidence.”
TRF Camp Build’s co-ed camp took place July 15-19 at the Carolinas Electrical Training Institute, 13530 S. Ridge Dr, Charlotte, NC 28273. In addition to skills training, professionals discussed potential career paths in construction.
“A fantastic aspect of TRF camp build is the variety of skills that students get to learn,” said Denise Schnell, Training Director at Carolina’s Electrical Training Institute. “Similar to how our apprenticeship programs work, we wanted to give these students an experience as close to on-the-job training as possible while also introducing them to career opportunities.”
Some of the campers from Charlotte, Indian Trail, Fort Mill, Mooresville, and Denver had never been exposed to construction or used a power tool. But by the end of camp, they could drill, mix concrete, strip wire, bend conduit, operate heavy equipment, and solder. To ensure their experiential learning continued at home, each camper also received a free bag of tools, courtesy of Milwaukee Tool and DeWalt / Stanley Black & Decker.
“My mom told me to come to this and I was hesitant. But I actually am having a lot of fun and enjoy learning how to operate power tools to build,” said Xia Hoover, a rising 8th grader.
“TRF Camp Build teaches my son life lessons and how to use tools. My son has enjoyed every day. Each day he shares what he learned and is excited to come back,” said Viviana Villavicencio, camper parent.
The Rosendin Foundation sponsored this event and four others nationwide, thanks to generous sponsors and in-kind donations. These include patron-level sponsors Rosendin and MPS and Diamond-level sponsor United Rentals. In addition, valuable in-kind donors such as Milwaukee Tools, Stanley Black and Decker, Border States, and Graybar have generously contributed to the program’s success.
For additional information about The Rosendin Foundation and its initiatives, visit www.therosendinfoundation.org.
About The Rosendin Foundation:
Formed in 2020, The Rosendin Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation serving as the philanthropic arm of Rosendin Holdings, where all charitable giving is centralized or directed. This includes Rosendin Electric, Inc. (Rosendin) and Modular Power Solutions (MPS). The Rosendin Foundation’s Home Office is in Austin, Texas; however, it provides funding to non-profit organizations across the United States. For more information, visit www.therosendinfoundation.org.
