HG Fenton Green Build Tech Academy
The HG Fenton Green Build Tech Academy was founded at Trade Tech in order to fuse specific “Green” STEM education with college and career preparation programs, specifically in the construction and engineering design sectors. It started as a great idea with one teacher and a single course and has become a school-wide initiative driving all programs and guiding our projects. School-wide, our annual Green and STEM projects are based upon innovation and invention to make the world a better place for generations to come.
The incoming freshmen take a sustainable design course designed to initiate the process of “Green Thinking'' and understand LEED certifications. In Earth science, students learn using modern Green technologies. An example of this is every student goes through the process of creating BioDiesel from used fryer oil from a fast food restaurant. In Biology, they experiment and discover how Hydroponics works and can produce food in a much smaller environment. In our construction programs, students are instructed in environmentally responsible methods of construction that reduce waste and increase efficiency. Students in Building Maintenance are taught how to evaluate, weatherize and maintain facilities to have less dependence upon our resources. Students learn how to upgrade with the most current technology available. In the Green Architecture program, students learn how to apply the LEED standards to design and remodel homes and commercial buildings. In 2014 and 2015, Trade Tech students captured the title “Best In Show” at the San Diego County Fair for their architecture projects demonstrating all they had learned. At the regional NAWIC Architecture in 2016, Trade Tech students swept 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. In 2017, our students placed 1st and 2nd at NAWIC.
This partnership with The HG Fenton Company also provides the resources to keep our STEM based programs current and our study trips effective. Our trips and trainings at the SDGE Innovation Center and the PG&E Energy Education Center in Irwindale allow students to be a part of the most current trends in our construction and energy sectors. Other trips allow students to see every aspect of the energy innovations in current use on construction sites.
The HG Fenton Company’s partnership has also led to our becoming a state recognized “California Partnership Academy”. Because of this status, our model green and STEM programs are demonstrated in the State of California to be outstanding and replicable. This status affords Trade Tech the opportunity to have staff receive relevant professional development at the state level conferences that is unique to our career pathways. In addition to this prestigious recognition, The HG Fenton Company has made an effort to work directly with our students and provide employment each summer with paid internships while still in high school and full-time apprenticeships upon graduation.
The HG Fenton Company is a model leader in its commitment to provide environmentally friendly complexes for both residential and commercial purposes. The family-owned business prides itself on listening to its residents and provides solutions that are Eco-Friendly. Its Solterra project is San Diego’s first 100% solar residential complex. North County Trade Tech High School is very grateful to partner with The HG Fenton Company to better prepare our students for their future.