The D.C. Students Construction Trades Foundation, an organization that teaches high school students the trades and offers them access to internships, scholarships and post-secondary education, job placement and career opportunities, recently held its annual luncheon honoring the 2014 Academy of Construction and Design graduates.

ABC members, including Shapiro & Duncan, Miller & Long, make up a large portion of the Foundation’s Board and Executive Council who fund the program and select promising students to receive scholarships at the end of the year during the luncheon.

This year, the following scholarships were given away by ABC members and other major supporters:

• Bright Futures Incentive Award ($250): Rodrigo Rosa
• Bright Futures Leadership Award ($250 and laptop): Chester Broadway
• Sigal Award ($5000 and laptop): Treymane Chatman

Norman Dreyfuss Scholarship Awards:

1. 1st: $4000: Aunye'e Waller
2. 2nd: $3000: Treymane Chatman
3. 3rd: $2000L Nichole Richbow

Many of these students plan to go to college after high school, but a few are planning to go straight to work in the trades, including Treymane Chatman, who will be going to work for ABC member company, Sigal Construction, Arlington, Va., to learn carpentry.

ABC National staff, as well as many other ABC members, was able to take part in the 2014 luncheon after working with the students throughout the year on growing their professional skills to prepare them for life post-high school.