BuildUP Community School, a private workforce development high school that started in 2017, recently congratulated its first student to reach the school’s goal of homeownership.

Torrey Washington, who is now 21 years old, was one of BuildUP’s first students. He got involved with the school in the summer of 2018 after attending a job fair with his sister. He met Mark Martin, BuildUP’s founder, who invited him to a bootcamp he oversaw in Ensley.

After about five years of work, Washington now owns a house he helped rehab.

“It’s amazing to be a homeowner,” Washington said. “Everyday it feels so unreal. I don’t wanna let it get to my head, though–there’s still a lot of work to be done. I’m ready to keep moving forward.”

Martin’s program teaches students trade skills while they work on houses under mentors. During high school, students work on properties that BuildUP either manages or owns to gain practical experience in demolition, wall framing and electrical or cabinet installation. Eventually, they have the opportunity to buy the house they helped flip.

“Torrey is one of our brightest students and it makes sense that he’s the first to reach this milestone,” Martin said.

BuildUP’s aims to help students from disadvantaged communities buy affordable houses in Birmingham, hoping to help them build personal wealth and revitalize struggling communities.

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Ninth and tenth grade students engage in a curriculum that focuses on a process of discovery where they learn about different career options. In 11th and 12th grade, students are placed in internships or apprenticeships with local businesses that align with their career interests.

Upon graduation, students leave with a minimum of three high-demand trade certifications including OSHA 10, ACE (formerly Ready to Work) and Home Builders Institute (HBI), allowing them to enter the workforce at a higher pay rate. Hopefully, BuildUP says, students have all the skills they need to get a high-paying job or start their own business.

“We could not be more proud of Torrey and his accomplishments,” said James Sutton, BuildUP’s executive director. “He has overcome many challenges, not the least of which was a global pandemic that forced him and other students to attend school virtually.”

While at BuildUp, Washington mostly learned carpentry skills. A counselor gave him the opportunity to work on a crew at BLOX, a construction and manufacturing company in Bessemer, which he is still a part of today. In 2022, Washington started going to school for HVAC at Lawson State and expects to be done this fall.

“It definitely wasn’t easy getting to this point. Only people like James and Mark egging me on really helped,” Washington said. “All the great mentors along the way at both BuildUp and BLOX, they helped me so much. Growing up, I didn’t have good male role models. I appreciate guys like them.”

Taking a chance on himself is what got Washington where he is. He said he passed up on a lot of the opportunities he was offered growing up, afraid of what might go wrong if he said yes. He admits that he almost opted out of BuildUp as well.

“When Mark approached me, I was scared. But I decided to take a chance and I’m seeing now the great results,” said Washington. “Any advice I would give to people like me is to keep working hard. Don’t let the bad days set you back. Keep trying to find a way forward, no matter what.”

BuildUP is now enrolling rising 9th and 10th grade students for the 2023-24 school year. The program costs $25,000 per year. Learn more about enrollment options.

The school holds open houses every Thursday from 4:30-6:30 p.m. For more information, please visit www.buildup.work or call 205-847-4086.