Starting in the 2026-27 school year, Mount Vernon ISD will offer a new Construction Management pathway for students who enjoy hands-on work. The program is already popular, and a $10,000 grant from the Texas Builders Foundation will help buy the tools and equipment students need. Courtney Wilkins explained that the idea for this pathway started before the grant, as more students wanted to join the agricultural mechanics program than the district could safely accommodate. “It's obviously not safe to have 50 kids in the shop during one class period,” Wilkins said. Some older students were missing out on shop time because there was not enough space. “I felt like we were really doing them a disservice.”
The district’s recent bond construction created a chance to solve the problem. A temporary agricultural building, built as a shop until the new ag facility was finished, left MVISD with a solid space for another hands-on program. Wilkins spent about two years looking into options and visiting other schools to see what programs Mount Vernon didn’t yet offer. Construction Management stood out because it lets students try several skilled trades instead of just one. They can learn about electrical work, plumbing, welding, and woodworking while figuring out what interests them most. Before deciding, MVISD asked students and the community for input, and Wilkins said most people wanted construction. “They wanted construction management,” she said. “They wanted the, you know, bring back the good old woodshop.”
Student interest is already clear in enrollment numbers. This fall, MVISD will start with three sections of Principles of Construction and add more courses as students move through the program. Finding an instructor was a challenge because skilled trades professionals often earn more in industry jobs than in teaching. However, Wilkins said the district found the right person in Montana Tidwell, who has real construction experience. As the program grows, Wilkins expects they may need a second instructor, which could help students earn even more certifications.
Setting up a new shop was another challenge. Since CTE funding depends on enrollment, Wilkins wanted to avoid taking resources from other programs. She decided to look for outside funding and applied to the Texas Builders Foundation. After about a month working on the application, MVISD received $10,000 to buy sets of hand tools, tool belts, hammers, measuring tools, saws, hard hats, eye protection, safety gear, and more. Wilkins worked with a retired construction teacher to make sure students would have what they need. “We really just wanted the students to start the school year with tools in their hands,” she said.
The program’s goals go beyond just the shop. Construction Management was chosen partly because it lets students try different trades and earn Industry-Based Certifications (IBCs), which can help them start working or continue their education after graduation. By the fourth course, the district hopes to offer a practicum where students can leave campus during the day to work with local contractors, electricians, and other tradespeople. These partnerships are still a few years away, but Wilkins is confident the Mount Vernon business community will help. “I know that Mount Vernon has the most supportive community that I have ever been blessed to be part of,” she said. “There's no question in my mind that people will open their doors for these students.”
Wilkins believes the real test of the program is what students can do after they graduate from Mount Vernon High School. While researching, she met a former student from another construction program who now owns his own electrical company. That’s the kind of success she hopes MVISD students can achieve. “Success, to me, looks like our students graduating with these certificates, and they're able immediately to go join the workforce,” Wilkins said. Some students may choose to keep studying, but the main goal is to give them practical experience and credentials. “At the end of the day, we're going to do what's best for kids,” she said. “We saw this need. Our kids wanted to work with their hands. We didn't have the manpower. So now we've opened up this new pathway for them to do that.”
The community will soon get to see what students are learning. Wilkins said Construction Management will be included in the annual ag auction, where people can bid on projects made by MVISD students. There may only be a few construction projects in the first year since there’s little time to prepare, but Wilkins expects the program to grow. What started as a way to ease pressure on one CTE program could become a new opportunity for Mount Vernon students, letting them work with their hands, learn a trade, and start building a career before they graduate.
