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Construction trades competit
project provides a venue for
and for helping others
District high school construction programs participate
in statewide playhouse competition
Tim Nestrud has a simple approach to helping address
the shortage of skilled construction laborers facing the
nation: get kids building stuff.
Over this past summer, Nestrud, who is a construction
careers teacher at Anoka-Hennepin’s Secondary
Technical Education Program (STEP), hatched a plan to
do just that. He developed a competition of sorts —
schools with technical education programs across the
state would build playhouses for children, and the final
products would be judged and then sold.
“We’re really hurting for kids who want to get into the
trades,” he said. “I figured a competition of sorts might
generate some interest.”
The idea quickly gained some traction elsewhere,
with the Minneapolis Home and Garden Show joining
the fray. The February event is now going to host the
judging of the playhouses, as well as a silent auction
where visitors of the convention can bid on the houses,
Nestrud said. What’s more — while schools will first
recoup the cost of any materials that were purchased to
build the playhouses, all remaining proceeds generated
in the auctions will go to Habitat for Humanity.
All told, 11 schools across the state are participating,
Nestrud said, including six from Anoka-Hennepin —
the district’s five traditional high schools plus STEP.
Also participating are schools from all over the state,
including metro area schools like Apple Valley, and
outstate schools like Osakis.
Students gain real-world expe
tion trades through a hands-o
structed projects will be on di
tion at the Minneapolis Home
will benefit Habitat for Human
Nestrud said the playhous
foot by eight-foot footprint,
for small children. Schools a
costs and blueprints, and tha
judging process, along with
And while schools are respo
playhouses to the Home and
the convention has lined up
win the silent auctions.
The Minneapolis Home an
Feb. 26 through March 1 at
Center. n
ABOUT STEP: STEP bills itself as a high scho
where students primarily in grades 11 and 12
on technical and manufacturing careers while
school and college credit. Most who attend a
which means they take core classes at their re
then come to STEP at some point during the
manufacturing studies. For more information,
Child nutrition rolls out new me
begins creating more for next s
Anoka-Hennepin head chef Faith Ford and her team
are continually on the lookout for the latest and greatest
in food trends to offer nutritious variety for students
across the district. Already planning for 2020-21, the
child nutrition department is happy to share the success
of 16 new items that were made available to students
this school year.
“We are always looking to come up with new ideas
that are on-trend, market-focused, kid-friendly meal
options,” Ford said. “We have spent many hours in the
kitchen working with staff to make sure we can duplicate
the recipes we develop.”
New menu items introduced during a taste-testing event at
Coon Rapids High School.
Ford and her team develo
are then taste-tested by elem
students at events througho
provide feedback, and the d
decision whether or not to im
recipes on a larger scale.
To view menus, nutrition a
all items, parents and guard
menus. n
Now on the menu
• Nashville hot chicken bi
• Semi-scratch made ques
• Calzones (cheese and tu
• Chicken parmesan sand
• Cinnamon flatbread.
On the go items:
• Deviled egg dip lunch b
• Build your own peppero
New salads:
• Veggies and rice with se
• Fiesta ranch chicken sala
• Chopped chicken with h
• Crunchy Mandarin Salad