From the Town
Popular program at FHS leads kids to careers in construction
I have long been intrigued by the construction classes offered at FHS; and a couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit. I wasn’t prepared for the scale of Richie Patton’s “classroom.” More warehouse than workshop, the space is packed with tools and materials, including the remains of a cinder-block structure where students once practiced installing plumbing and electrical systems. It had to be torn down, Patton said, because it wasn’t large enough for his classes, and space is at a premium.
“We need every inch of space we can get,” he explained.
That’s because the classes are maxed out. There is a waitlist for the program, which offers training in five trades: carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing and masonry. The introductory course, Fundamentals of Construction, teaches students how to use hand and power tools, read construction drawings and practice safety on and off the jobsite. The second and third levels provide more in-depth training in residential and commercial construction.
After completing the program, students are prepared to begin entry-level trades jobs. Others, like senior Sam Souther, continue pursuing construction careers through higher education. In the fall, she’ll study construction management at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is one of 13 seniors in the program who plans to study a construction-related field in college, including three who earned full-ride scholarships.
Souther entered high school intending to pursue architecture and initially chose the construction program because it seemed related. Eventually, she discovered she was more interested in construction itself. That’s not surprising, considering her school accomplishments include building a porch swing, winning first place on a plumbing team and helping construct a tiny home for a homeless veteran.
“I picked construction management because it’s the most hands-on,” she says. “I want to be in the field while things are being built.”
Patton was hired six years ago to launch the school’s construction program, and in 2022, it became part of the Academy of Agriculture, Construction & Leadership. Knox County Schools’ 865 Academies were created to prepare students for life after graduation, whether that means enrolling in college, enlisting in the military or entering a high-wage, in-demand profession.
Patton was a project manager for an electrical contractor when he learned about the opportunity to start the construction program at FHS, and he hasn’t looked back. He said the students have become like family, and he has hosted holiday dinners in the picnic area outside his classroom. Teaching, he said, has been a blessing.
FHS assistant principal Cara Vaughn isn’t surprised by the popularity of the construction program.
“I believe that students love this course because it removes the distractions of technology and allows them to focus on being creative. Also, the students adore Mr. Patton,” she said. “Students get excited about learning, but they also get excited about being in his class and being part of the community he has built.”
Patton even attends after-school dance recitals and senior nights to cheer on his students, she said.
One of the reasons Patton enjoys teaching trades is that these skills will always be needed.
“These trades are never going away. There will always be a need for them,” he said. “It’s something AI can’t replace.”
