The Chicago Metro Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) recently hosted a building competition to promote careers in the construction industry.
Elementary school age participants used 100 interlocking plastic blocks, and other provided materials, to create imaginative designs. The thoughtful, creative stories the children tell, when describing their work, are considered along with the actual construction when the judges choose which entry will advance to the regional level of the national competition.
Each student also took home a wooden birdhouse they built after completing their contest project.
NAWIC members are employed at a variety of construction companies. This past year, the O’Hare Suburban Chapter merged with the Chicago Metro Chapter.
Anderson Lock is a key sponsor of this building contest, and our Office Manager, Laura Miller, a longtime NAWIC member, had led Block Kids for the O’Hare group. This year, she served as co-chair of the event held at Glen Ellyn’s Forest Glen Elementary School.
Madeline Lavin and Jim Walsh, Anderson Lock Hardware Sales Representatives, shown in the top right photo, volunteered to serve as judges of the Saturday morning contest, and Madeline also worked alongside lock tech Tim Lankford, (bottom left photo), drilling holes for the birdhouse kits. Anderson Lock’s Project Estimator, Chelle Copple, demonstrating bird house construction in the bottom right photo, is also a NAWIC member.