The vocational education program at CBRYC allows boys who are studying for their GED to learn important skills and trades for eventual employment. As part of their Individualized Education Plan (IEP), boys may enroll in these vocational classes in which they learn construction techniques.
In these classes of four to six youth, boys work as a team to solve real problems in specialized areas. In addition to basic carpentry, boys learn other skills including how to mix and pour concrete, frame buildings, install drywall, and construct roofs. Several in each class also learn how to operate heavy equipment, such as a skid loader.
In addition to helping boys develop specialized skills, vocational training allows them to make positive contributions to the campus and the community. Recently, students helped construct a two-story literacy center on the CBRYC campus. In 1999, youth built CBRYC's first greenhouse and a new horse and hay barn. In the summer of 1998, several boys built a new garage for the La Junta Fire Department.
In return for their hard work, boys receive an hourly wage. Along with the satisfaction of earning money, boys gain a sense of confidence when they see that something they have built makes a difference to people on campus and in the community
