Big Skills at Branson.
Understand it
Big Skills at Branson High School is a dynamic, interdisciplinary course that blends social justice education with hands-on construction skills and real-world field experiences.
In the classroom, students explore themes such as equity, redlining, housing justice, and environmental sustainability. This social justice lens informs the practical work they take on—building an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), working with tools, and developing foundational skills in the construction trades.
Outside the classroom and workshop, students go on field trips, connect with community leaders, and engage with partner organizations, gaining exposure to career pathways and deepening their understanding of housing systems and the role of skilled trades in building more just communities.
Build it.
Students gain experience with every stage of the building process: reading blueprints, measuring and laying out framing, cutting and assembling materials, and installing doors, windows, insulation, and siding. They develop skills with hand and power tools, learn jobsite safety, and collaborate to solve real construction challenges. Through this process, students not only build a physical structure—they build confidence, teamwork, and a sense of purpose.
See it.
To deepen their learning, students also participate in field trips to job sites, fabrication shops, union training centers, and local housing developments. These trips offer firsthand insight into how the built environment is shaped, and who gets to shape it. Students observe real projects in progress and hear directly from professionals in architecture, construction management, carpentry, solar installation, and more.
The class also regularly hosts guest speakers—including builders, tradespeople, urban planners, housing advocates, and formerly unhoused individuals—who bring lived experience and industry perspective into the classroom. These conversations inspire students to see themselves as future problem-solvers and community builders, while exposing them to diverse pathways in the skilled trades and beyond.
Change it.
Big Skills empowers students with confidence, agency, and a sense of purpose. They leave the program with practical skills, professional connections, and a deeper understanding of how their work can contribute to a more equitable world.
For some students, Big Skills is a launching pad into the building trades, engineering, architecture, or environmental design. Others are drawn to public service, social justice work, or community development. No matter the path, students gain the tools to think critically, work collaboratively, and take initiative in shaping a future that works for everyone.
