Frenship High School is extremely fortunate to have an excellent CTE Program that is taught by some of the best in their fields. A prime example of this is John Hoyle, the architecture teacher at Frenship High School. Hoyle teaches Principles of Architecture and Construction, Construction Technology 1 & 2 and Practicum to Construction Management. With 36 years dedicated to FISD, 16 of those have been spent in the classroom highlighting his student’s talents and refining skills they can use well beyond their days at FHS.
Hoyle not only teaches the students how to use tools and create beautiful pieces, but he also shows the students the importance of using their talents to give back. Through his program students have helped build homes with Habitat for Humanity, assisted Extreme Makeover Home Edition when they built the Brown family home in Wellman, TX, as well as assisted local organizations such as the Frenship Foundation for Leadership with some of their classroom creations to incorporate in their annual fundraisers.
Hoyle’s students have been creating coolers and metal signs for years to donate to local charities. The coolers typically bring around $200 at an auction, but the students were pleased to learn that one of their most recent coolers sold for $300 to benefit the Parkinson’s Foundation. In total Hoyle’s students have created six coolers and more than 30 metal signs for the community.
“Students take my classes to learn lifelong skills that will benefit them after high school,” said Hoyle. “What a better way to practice their skills than by building projects to donate? The skills they learn in my classes will help them in the real world, not just the equipment they have learned to use but also character, integrity and to be a valuable citizen.”
Hoyle’s students excel in the classroom and well beyond as made evident by their active involvement in SkillsUSA competitions for the last 14 years. Hoyle said he has had many students win the State level competition and four winning the Best of Texas Award selected by the Texas Career and Technology Council. With his wall of honor proudly displayed in his classroom he looks forward to many more accomplishments from the students who pass through his classroom. He hopes he will be adding new photos to his wall this March as three of his students will be heading to Corpus Christi for the State competition to continue making a name for the architecture program at FHS.
The month of February is designated as Career and Technology Education Month®. The goal of this public awareness initiative is to highlight the achievements and successes that CTE Programs across the country are gaining in classrooms each day.
