Hands on for Habitat: Students get hands on experience for a good cause

Community News

Martinez, California, foundation
Students attend a pre-job briefing by the project lead for Habitat for Humanity. They discussed safety protocols and assigned job duties for the shift.
  • High school students in Contra Costa County, California, are taking their classroom learnings to the construction site for hands-on experience.
  • Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley, Marathon and the Construction Tech program at the Pittsburg Unified School District have partnered to bring an elevated workforce development program to students.
  • Marathon committed more than $100,000 to the programs at three school districts over three years to enable the school to develop the next generation of talented tradespeople.

Students in the Construction Tech program at Pittsburg High School in Contra Costa County, California, are getting hands-on experience in safety, construction and project management and giving to their communities at the same time. Ten student volunteers worked on a new home under construction for the Hands On for Habitat program. The program is offered through a partnership between the school district, Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley and Marathon.

Students prepping the sub-floor by scraping and cleaning to make the area level before carpet and tile are installed.

“Our high school students are thriving in this program and really learning valuable skills,” said Thomas Schmiegel, Construction Tech teacher at Pittsburg High School. “Their confidence is growing every time they use what they learned in the classroom on a real-world project that is going to help families in our community.”

In 2021, Marathon, who partially owns and operates the Martinez Renewable Fuels Facility in the area, committed more than $100,000 to the program over three years and donated an additional $5,000 to each class of the construction trade programs in the Mount Diablo, Martinez, and Pittsburg school districts located in the San Francisco Bay area.  

Students prepping the subfloor.

“Their confidence is growing every time they can use what they learned in the classroom on a real-world project that is going to help families in our community.”

Teachers provide safety training, teach how to use tools and perform construction projects in class. Through the program, they take those lessons to a job site. The goal is to develop the next generation of talented tradespeople.

 The students put away their safety gear after their shift for the day.

“I was surprised that I could perform on a real job site and really contribute," said Jordy Meza Valencia, student at Pittsburg High School. “I was proud to be able to contribute to Habitat for Humanity.”