Education now and later… courtesy of the Carpenters

Joseph A. Gregori High School jobsite.

Stand on the edge of this jobsite in northwest Modesto and look off in almost any direction. If you squint a little, the orchards show just the faintest hint of future green.

On the site, the rumble and whine of machinery signals the daily progress of the $123 million Joseph A. Gregori High School, employing up to 70 members of the Carpenters Union at a time over the past year. Squint a little more and you can see September 2010, with the ninth and tenth graders of the first class ambling across the 80-acre campus.

Jeff Kelley, Local 25, is one of Acme’s two superintendents on Gregori. The other is Rod Hampton, also a Local 25 member.

Peyton Pushies, (right) Local 25, started on this project in July 2008. In the background is one of Acme’s carpenter foremen, Dave Halsey, Local 25. "This big project is going real smooth," Halsey says. "It’s even ahead of schedule in places." Halsey’s been a union carpenter for 34 years.

Jeff Kelley, Local 25, is one of the two full-time superintendents for the general contractor, Acme Construction. "Things are going well," Kelley says of this 13-building project, which is one of the biggest that Acme’s done.

Today, there’s no squinting or imagination required to see the benefits of the work at Gregori High School. Projects like this one deliver steady work all around for central valley carpenters and contractors. Other regionally based contractors on the team include Bambacigno Steel Company, also from Modesto, working on the structural steel in four of the larger buildings, and Weldway Construction, based in Oakdale, the structural steel contractor for some of the smaller ones.

The field superintendent for Tarlton and Son, Gilbert Martinez, Local 701, says"Things are good." Tarlton is in week 19 of a planned 54 weeks at the Modesto project.

Dan Nuncio, Local 9083, is Tarlton’s foreman on the Gregori project.

On one side of campus, a crew from Fresno-based Tarlton and Son installs the metal-stud framing. "We’re in week 19 and things are going well," Tarlton’s field superintendent Gilbert Martinez, Local 701, says. "We’ve still got a ways to go here. We’re shooting for 54 weeks on this project."

Apprentice Julia Johnson, Local 25, is "excited and nervous" to be journeying out in February 2009. She’s been on the Gregori project "from the ground up."

One of Acme’s carpenter foremen, Joe Sousa, Local 25, notes there’s been an "amazing amount of work" in the last year in the valley. He’s been on this project since January 2008.

The benefits don’t end with steady work. In fact, before ever opening its doors to high school students, Gregori is providing education of a different kind. Apprentice Julia Johnson, Local 25, has been on the project since the winter of 2007. "I’ve seen this job from the ground up," she says. "It’s been extremely educational."

Johnson, who’s worked for Acme Construction for the last three years, journeys out in February. "I’m excited and nervous at the same time," she says about hitting that career goal. "And I’m crossing my fingers to stay on this project after that."

"I wanted to get under somebody’s wing, and that’s exactly what happened," she says of the mentoring she’s gotten from the Acme team. Her smile and enthusiasm say as much as her words—about pride in her skills, participation in this good project and the promise of a long, working future.

First-period apprentice Adam Rush, Local 25, dismantles concrete forms. He’s got nine months on the project.

Dave Kelling, Local 25, has 22 years as a union carpenter.

At the west end of the site, the iron skeleton of the new gymnasium towers over the muddy spots of the winter-wet site. Nearby, first-period apprentice Adam Rush, Local 25, is also looking toward a future in the trade. Working with several journeylevel carpenters, Rush dismantles the forms for the women’s locker room. So you want to be like these guys? "Hopefully," he says, a smile lighting his face.

Safe, up-to-date, well-built schools are one of the cornerstones of a community, preparing young people for their lives wherever, however, they choose to imagine them. When Gregori High School welcomes its first students in the fall of 2010, it will have already been serving the community in a different -and equally vital- way.

Steve Wenzel, Local 25, in front of Gregori High School’s new gymnasium.

"It’s a big project that’s going real smooth," one of Acme’s carpenter foremen, Dave Halsey, Local 25, says. "In some places, we’re ahead of schedule."

Carpenter Clint Lind, Local 25, has been at Gregori High for almost a year. He gives voice to what may be in the back of many minds this year. "It’s good to be working. We’re lucky to have the job".

Remember that promise of green in the distance? Many carpenters may find projects like these are just the ticket to staying busy over the next few years.

Alfredo Puente, Local 505, has 10 years in the union and seven months on this project.

Clint Lind, Local 25, has been on this project almost a year. He says,"It’s good to be working. We’re lucky to have jobs."

Fred Hough, Local 25, notes, "Acme’s a good company to work for."

Back to Current Issue | Top of Page

﻿Education now and later… courtesy of the Carpenters

Education now and later… courtesy of the Carpenters