GRAY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Students begin exploring post-graduation opportunities throughout high school. In some cases, those opportunities include Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses.

During the ECU Battle of the Build VIII competition, students demonstrated their skills by working on projects that fit the assigned theme of “Indoor and Outdoor Living.” Examples of their creations included a mini camper and an adjustable fire pit.

“We worked about eight years ago with this program,” said David Isaacs, Battle of the Build chairman. “And we really wanted to get kids interested in trades. So it was born out of that need.”

The competition, created by the Johnson City Home Builders Association (JCHBA), brought 13 teams from across Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia to the Appalachian Fairgrounds. The schools and districts participating in the 2025 competition are listed below:

• Elizabethton High School
• Johnson County High School
• Hawkins County Schools
• Sullivan East High School
• Dobyns-Bennett High School
• David Crocket High School
• Hampton High School
• Happy Valley High School
• Hamblen County Schools
• Washington County, VA Career and Technical Education Center
• Russell County Schools
• West Ridge High School
• Tennessee High School

“Coming here shows you the kind of stuff you could be doing or that you could be building,” said Shaila Morales, a John Battle High School senior who studies welding at the Washington County Career and Technical Education Center (WCCTEC).

“I think that this is very important because it shows that you don’t have to necessarily go through college to perform and make things like [our project],” said Elizabethton High School junior Rowan Townsend. “Being able to provide for your community when not having a bachelor’s and master’s degree can really help improve the feeling of not going to college.”

Isaacs said the students’ projects show their dedication to their trade.

“As you pan around here, you’ll see some of the most creative and cool stuff you’ve ever seen in your life,” said Isaacs. “And the kid’s passion when you see that part, it makes everything that I do for the program worth it.”

The students receive the theme and their sponsors three to four months before the event, giving them time to brainstorm and create their projects. The showcase typically takes place in November but was rescheduled due to Hurricane Helene.

Hampton High School students found themselves devastated after floodwaters destroyed the school.

“We put in good work on that first one,” said senior Will Cable. “Just to get that call that our school was gone, along with our projects.”

Before rebuilding their project, Hampton students first turned to helping the community after the devastation.

“We made contacts,” said Cable. “We reached out to people, we started a GoFundMe. And Jason Lilley, he reached out to us and said he was producing a benefit for Neighbors Helping Neighbors, and that kind of got our name out there. Citizen’s Bank came out, and they gave us $50,000 to rebuild. And that was kind of when we realized we have what we need, we can get what we need and we can get stuff done.”

Hampton students completed their second project in just three weeks, using a basement workspace provided. Their swift efforts were rewarded on Saturday when they received the Chairman’s Choice Outdoor award.

“It’s a cool thing to be involved in and to be able to meet these new people,” said Morales. “[To] talk about what you or your classmates did.”

The results from the Battle of the Build competition are listed below:

• First Place: Elizabethton High School
  • Received $2,000
• Second Place: Hamblen County Schools
  • Received $1,500
• Third Place: Russel County Schools
  • Received $1,000
• People’s Choice: Happy Valley High School
• Chairman’s Choice Indoor: Tennessee High School
• Chairman’s Choice Outdoor: Hampton High School

Information about Battle of the Build can be found on the JCHBA website or the Battle of the Build Facebook page.