Here's What's Happening

With Clayton County experiencing rapid growth and ongoing development, the demand for skilled workers in construction and related fields continues to rise. To meet this need and ensure students are prepared for future career opportunities, Clayton County Public Schools has launched the Future Builders Program, a hands-on learning initiative designed to introduce elementary students to the world of construction.

“The Future Builders Program is a powerful example of our No Dead Ends: 4Es commitment—preparing students to Enroll, Enlist, be Employed, or become Entrepreneurs,” said Dr. Anthony W. Smith, Superintendent of Schools. “Like our Aspiring Doctors’ Club, Firefighters Academy, and CTAE Summer Internships, it opens doors to high-demand professions while giving our youngest learners an early start on pathways that connect classroom learning to real-world opportunities and inspire them to become tomorrow’s innovators and leaders.”

Led by Ms. Mary Shepherd, Student Career Development Director, the program seeks to connect classroom learning with real-world applications while sparking curiosity about high-demand career fields.

“Everywhere you look in Clayton County, new homes, businesses, and infrastructure projects are taking shape,” said Shepherd. “This growth highlights the importance of preparing our students early for the career opportunities available right here in their own community. Future Builders gives them a chance to explore construction in a fun, meaningful way while also strengthening their academic skills.”

Program Highlights
● Early Exposure: Students as early as elementary school connect math, science, and reading to building activities.
● Hands-on Learning: Projects such as raised garden beds and birdhouses allow students to apply classroom concepts while developing teamwork and problem-solving skills.
● Career Exploration: Children role-play careers such as designers, builders, and safety managers, gaining awareness of the various paths within the construction industry.
● Industry Connections: Local professionals visit classrooms to demonstrate how tools and concepts are applied in their daily work.
● STEM Integration: Students engage in activities such as designing floor plans, testing roof strength, and exploring soil science while building garden boxes.
● Skill Development: Collaboration, communication, and persistence are fostered through group projects and problem-solving challenges.

The program officially kicked off at Anderson Elementary School on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, with volunteers from the Forest Park Home Depot joining students in their first hands-on activities. Home Depot has also agreed to partner with the school by providing resources to sustain the program. Twenty-five students will participate in the pilot, beginning September 23, 2025, as part of Anderson Elementary’s Math and Science Club. The ultimate goal is to strengthen student achievement while building awareness of the construction industry as a high-demand, high-opportunity field. The district’s long-term vision is to expand Future Builders into elementary schools that feed into high schools, offering Construction as a Career Pathway, ensuring students have a seamless pipeline from early exposure to advanced training.

Anderson Elementary Principal, Tonia Luttery, expressed excitement about the program’s impact: “Our students are not only learning concepts in math and science, they are experiencing how those lessons come to life in the real world,” said Principal Luttery. “Future Builders is giving them confidence, teamwork skills, and exposure to careers they may never have imagined. It is opening doors to their future.”

"Future Builders is about more than just building projects; rather, it is about building pathways,” Shepherd added. “By exposing students to these careers now, we are preparing the next generation of innovators and problem solvers who will help shape Clayton County’s future.”

To view images of the Future Builders Initiative at Anderson Elementary School, click here.