FOHI General Construction program is the envy of other schools in the district and the pride of FOHI. Under the able supervision of Mr. Hanger, the instructor of the General Construction, the CTE course at FOHI has flourished. Mr. Hanger has over three decades of carpentry experience, and he has been coaching the team for the Design-Build competition here at FOHI for 3 years now. If you are interested in learning “life skills” and carpentry, consider taking the 4-semester CTE course. The Design-build Competition is a competition held every year at Huntington Beach in which 40 high-schools, 2 colleges, and 2 middle schools compete to build a shed. This year FOHI beat all competition to win 1st place in this prestigious competition. In the event 15 students design a shed that involves a door and a window and build it under a time constraint while following health and safety rules. The designing of the shed is a complex process starting for figuring out the design, blueprints, electrical, hardware etc. Cyrus Sapien, who was leading the team said that they were given 14 hrs. over the span of two days in which they had to finish the product. According to Sapien, this was a particularly rewarding experience as this time they beat Cal Tech.
FOHI is again gearing up to participate for 2025. You can find more information about the event, such as start time and location on the website, “www.cie.foundation” (Southern California- Huntington Beach April 9-10, 2025 | Golden West College, Lot D). People not in General Construction class can also participate. Mr. Hanger said that “we have tryouts, it has happened, tryouts will be announced in the intercom, the club happens every Thursday in S105”.
I think FOHI has a chance to win this year; Mr. Hanger seems to agree: “We are favored to take the top five, last year we took first and in 2023 we took second and in 2022 we took 2nd as well” This event is important and you should consider participating because, “Every year the students we take get positive exposure and another entry on their resume (or another point on their “brag-sheet”). What better thing to put on your resume than proof that you can work and work well with a team?” He concluded by saying, “we are showing what Fontana high school students have, heart. We are going to show up and give everyone a run for their money.”
Note: If you cannot take the course, have some woodworking skills, or are trying to improve them, consider joining the Wood-Shop club on Thursday at S105 (the building next to the back of ROTC near Lemon Street. Gate).