High School Construction Skills Challenge

Ready, set, build!

The U.P. Construction Skills Challenge returns to NMU for a fifth year.

This time, with the help of the Northern Michigan Constructors and the U.P. Construction Council, the students got to make something a little different.

This year, the nine teams of area high schoolers had to each build their own ice shanties.

NMU junior Scott Brill, part of the Northern Michigan Constructors, says the day-long building challenge gives high school students from across the U.P. an opportunity to learn something that they might not find in books.

The event exposes students to what a day in the construction business is like, and while some students may have more experience then others, they work to overcome their weaknesses and take a shot at bringing home the trophy.

Westwood High School senior Eric Honkala says some of his classmates had never held a hammer until earlier in the year, but things seemed to be falling into place for them as they got building.

The top teams are awarded trophies in a ceremony.

The Dickinson-Iron Technical Center took home first place, with second going to Ontonagon High School and West Iron County High School taking third.

The winners are chosen based on the quality, safety and workmanship of their finished product.