Find a contractor Buyer's guide Partner with us
MCAA Logo
Log in Sign up Join Hi, there Account
2026 Midyear Registration is OPEN
Find a contractor Buyer's guide Partner
Log in Sign up Join Account

ConstructMyFuture.com Scholarship Winners

Words: Dan KamysA total of 10 construction education scholarships have been awarded in the 2009 edition of the ConstructMyFuture.com workforce development initiative.

ConstructMyFuture.com is designed to encourage teens to pursue a construction industry career. In addition to scholarships, ConstructMyFuture.com provides students, teachers, counselors and parents with online information about the benefits of construction careers, as well as access to educational options and local industry resources.

The program is a joint effort of the Associated Equipment Distributors Foundation (AEDF), the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).

Following are the ConstructMyFuture.com 2009 winners, who have each received $1,000 scholarships:
  • David Derakhshanian, Kansas City, Mo., attending Pittsburg State University for construction management


  • Ethan Heckenlaible, Stanley County High School, Fort Pierre, S.D., to attend Lake Area Technical Institute for diesel technology


  • Colleen Koeppen, Lake Mary Prep, Lake Mary, Fla., to attend Florida Institute of Technology for mechanical engineering


  • John McCormick, Maynard, Mass., attending Pennsylvania College of Technology for heavy equipment operation


  • Zane Osgood, Ten Broeck Academy, Franklinville, N.Y., to attend Alfred State College for diesel technology


  • Zeke Perez, Denver School of Science and Technology, Denver, Colo., to attend University of Denver for construction management


  • Matthew Pontarelli, Rochester, N.Y., attending Pennsylvania College of Technology for heavy equipment operation


  • Matthew Rockhill, Oliver Walcott Technical High School, Torrington, Conn., to attend Pennsylvania College of Technology for diesel technology


  • Steve Skoloda, Hamburg Area High School, Hamburg, Pa., to attend Pennsylvania College of Technology for diesel technology


  • Christopher Cody Swain, Puxico High School, Puxico, Mo., to attend Linn State Technical College for service technician
Visit www.constructmyfuture.com to read the winning essays, and for more information on applying for the 2010 scholarships.
 0
Bonding with Masonry 2026: Q2
June 2026

This issue’s questions come from a Mason Contractor and an Engineer. What questions do you have? Send them to info@masonrymagazine.com, attention Technical Talk.

David Biggs
Bonding with Masonry
Read More
The Thirty-Year Mason: Ergonomics as a Retention Strategy
June 2026

In most industry circles, the conversation around the labor shortage follows a predictable script: How do we find the next generation of masons? While recruitment is vital, we often overlook the most valuable asset already on the job site: the experienced

Shayne Sanders
MAP Partner
Read More
Acme Brick Company Releases 2026 Pocket Guide to Brick Construction
June 2026

For more than four decades, all the basics of building with brick have come in a guide small enough to fit into a pocket. Acme Brick has just released a 2026 version of its Pocket Guide to Brick Construction. And yes, it’s still printed on paper just like

MAP Partner
Read More
Masonry in the Media: Casa Azul, Chapultepec Castle, & More
June 2026

A film’s settings can take viewers to new locations, all from the comfort of their own home. It immerses them in the scenes, whether they take place in an opera house in Brazil or a grand mansion in Mexico City. Explore how these Latin American masonry ma

Lily Burger
Masonry in the Media
Read More