CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The 15th annual Construction Contest hosted by the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System took place at the Wilma Rudolph Event Center on Thursday. High school students showcased their construction skills in hands-on competitions. This year’s event brought students from five high schools: Montgomery Central, Rossview, Northeast, Kenwood and West Creek.

The competition offered contests for students in three levels of experience. First-year students participated in hammering, wall layout, and sawing contests, while second-year students cut rafters, stair stringers, and completed plumbing and electrical challenges. The third-year students built wall structures.

CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
Prizes at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)
CMCSS students compete in hands-on construction challenges at the annual skills competition at Wilma Rudolph Event Center on November 14, 2024. (Wesley Irvin)

“It’s fun for the kids; they’re nervous, they want to win, and they love the prizes,” said Charlie Bumpus, the CMCSS Structural Systems lead teacher. “It boosts their confidence and reinforces the skills they’ve learned in the industry.”

The event is supported by donations from local businesses that provide students with prizes and supplies. Orgain Building Supply provided materials, and other sponsors included Singletary Construction, Jody’s Cabinets, Chris Blackwell and many others. This event also connects students with potential future employers.

Each school’s program falls under the state’s structural systems program in the architecture and construction pathway. Schools such as Kenwood and Northeast have dual programs that cover both electrical and construction fields, while others focus on construction skills.