There’s nothing like seeing a kid use a power drill for the first time, and watching them love every second of it. We were proud to once again roll up our sleeves and join the Boys & Girls Club of Fort Wayne for an evening of hands-on learning and community connection.

As part of Project Blueprint, an initiative focused on exposing youth to the world of skilled trades, our team spent the evening guiding Club members through the process of building their very own toolboxes. With the help of our dedicated volunteers and FWCS Career Academy, kids learned how to measure, saw, drill, and hammer (many for the very first time).

The energy in the room was electric. Each young builder left with more than just a custom toolbox, tape measure, and tie-dye t-shirt—they walked away with confidence and a new set of skills that could inspire a career in construction.

We know that early exposure to hands-on experiences can ignite lifelong passions. By putting real tools in kids’ hands, we help them discover talents they may not even know they have. Giving back to the communities we serve is at the heart of everything we do. Events like this remind us that the next generation of builders is already here – ready to use the circular saw (supervised, of course) !