A Note from our Executive Director:

It has been a milestone six months for The Builder Foundation! We welcomed four new Facilitators, saw many impactful projects completed by students, launched a brand-new website, completed a successful Train the Trainer session and set a bold new course with an updated Mission, Vision and Values.

None of this would be possible without supporters like you. Thank you for being part of this growth — here's a look at what our students, teachers, and partners accomplished this spring and summer.

With Gratitude,

Melissa Glenn

Executive Director,

The Builder Foundation

Ways to Give:

Are you looking to donate a full or partial piece of a property? The Builder Foundation has partnered with the Realty Gift Fund to help make that possible. RGF will handle any type of property transition, commercial or residential, and donate a portion or all of the proceeds to The Builder Foundation. Interested in learning more? Please connect with Melissa Glenn at mglenn@builderfoundation.org and check out the link: http://realtygiftfund.org/

Get to know us again!

New Website, Mission, Vision and Values

New Website & Brand Identity:

Our new website is live, featuring an Online Toolkit, partner school links, project updates, news, video content, and volunteer & sponsorship information. Thank you to our friends at Performance Digital for their expertise in building the site! builderfoundation.org

This summer, two UNO marketing classes are designing new logos and a full social media strategy for The Builder Foundation. We will announce a winning design this fall!

New Mission, Vision, and Values

Valuable time was spent on strategic planning with Andrea Fredrickson of Revela. We updated our Mission and crafted our Vision and Values. We are thankful for the expert guidance and for the future of our organization!

Mission: Inspire the next generation in the construction industry through education and experience.

Vision: Every student in Nebraska and Western Iowa has the opportunity to experience the trades.

Values: Mentorship. Dignity. Quality Experiences.

BUILDERS OF THE FUTURE

Student-Built Homes Hit the Market - and Sold

Fremont High School

Fremont's first student-built home sold within a week of listing, at full asking price. Their second home was moved to its foundation in February; students finished the garage, exterior concrete, deck, and landscaping before it sold in May — above asking price. Demand was so strong that Fremont is now running two Construction II sections, doubling last year's enrollment.

Wausa Public Schools

Built in partnership with the Wausa Community Foundation, this home saw its construction class grow from 3 students in the fall to 9 by spring, driven entirely by student interest. The roof went on before the school year ended, and the team hopes to finish and sell the home this fall.

Ashland-Greenwood High School

Fourteen students built this home from the ground up, which is now pending sale. When the house moved down Main Street toward its foundation, students from two elementary schools lined up to watch — sparking plenty of questions, and maybe a few future careers in the trades. Ashland plans to build another home next year.

60+ Students. Real Homes. Real Futures.

From Fremont to Wausa to Ashland-Greenwood, students across Nebraska and Western Iowa are turning classroom lessons into finished homes - and real careers in the trades. 

EXPANSION

Growing Our Reach Across Nebraska

We officially expanded into Central Nebraska this spring with new partnerships in Aurora and Central City — including a new SkillsUSA collaboration in Aurora launching this fall. Several other school districts have expressed interest, and we are excited to bring them on board as we continue to grow across Nebraska.

Modular builders Champion Homes (York) and BonnaVilla Homes (Aurora) are quickly becoming key partners as we bring meaningful, hands-on projects to smaller districts throughout Central Nebraska. We thank them for their partnership and support!

EDUCATOR DEVELOPMENT

Train the Trainer 2026:

July 6-17

The teachers involved in The Builder Foundation are exceptional instructors and dedicated to their crafts, and to the students they inspire every day. The skill and dedication they exhibit in their classrooms is life-changing for their students. The next time you see one of our teachers, please thank them. Our classrooms, and our states, are better because of them.

Fifteen teachers across two cohorts — Omaha Metro and Northeast Nebraska — spent two weeks this July getting hands-on experience and building a stronger network of support.

The team completed several steps to prepare the foundation for Fremont's third house build. They learned from the expert instruction of Chris from LiteForm and assembled the foundation using Liteform ICF block, poured the concrete, set the drain tile and installed the house wrap. While in Fremont, the group also toured Structural Components, and was treated to a nice lunch and company swag! It was an instructional week for all.

The team then split into two groups, one group in the Omaha Metro area and one group in the northeast Nebraska area. The Omaha Metro group constructed and installed a Community Fridge structure for Saving Grace Perishable Foods, and will be used at Saint Timothy Lutheran Church in Council Bluffs, IA.

They toured the completed house build done by Dustin Foutch and his students at Ashland-Greenwood High School, and were able to get the all-access tour of our valuable supporter, Builders Supply. The team also completed a garage wall remodel and complete deck build. Not to be outdone, the team in northeast Nebraska completed a roofing project, a concrete pour and several home-build tours.

The two teams came together in central Nebraska, where they were greeted with an all-access tour and lunch at Champion Homes, followed by an all-access tour at BonnaVilla Homes. The Omaha Metro team was also hosted by Signature Builders, who gave a tour of a $2 million home build and owners Joe and Mike gave their insights and experiences as current business owners and former high school construction students. Both teams celebrated their final day by finishing up projects and enjoying well-deserved team lunches!

PEOPLE & PARTNERS

Team & Board Updates

New Facilitators

Connor Smith (Central Nebraska), Coleman Mullenix & Bill Perdue (Omaha Metro), and Martin Griffith (Northeast Nebraska) joined the team this spring.

New Education Consultants

Jason Novotny and Dustin Foutch bring years of classroom experience as we prepare for Mark Bowder's retirement at year's end, after eight years of service.

Board Leadership

Kraig Williams began his two-year term as Board President; Mike Riedmann remains on the Board to support the transition.

New Board Members

Denny Van Moorleghem, President of Regency Homes, joined the Board this July. Ron Ulrich, Commercial Division Lead - Exterior Solutions, Hallmark Building Supplies, will join the Board this August.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Building the Pathway to a Trades Career

Our relaunched Industry Advisory Council met March 27th at Kiewit University, sharing updates on our house builds, expansion, and industry partnerships. We're also proud to be represented on the Nebraska Strategic Housing Council's Pillar 4 (Workforce Development), and have partnered with Career Pathway to connect students directly to trades careers after their Builder Foundation experience. Link: careerpathway.com/the-builder-foundation

OUT & ABOUT

Where You Could Find Us This Spring

Our Executive Director spoke to CTE teachers statewide at the State Nebraska SkillsUSA Championships, presented on a workforce development panel at the NIFA Innovation Expo, and toured Champion Homes' production facility alongside builders from across the country. We also connected with families, educators supports at Elkhorn South's Career Fair, Dehner Day and a meeting with the I80 Cosmopolitan Club. We look forward to seeing you out and about!