Local nonprofit teaches teens trade skills through construction mentorships

A local nonprofit is teaching 13 to 17-year-olds trade skills through mentorships in construction.

26 teens helped construction crews rebuild Martin's Temple, a church in the West End that was damaged in the May 16th tornado. The church's first service since closing is this Sunday.

Last year, the teens built 15 tiny homes from the ground up.

The program's founder and CEO, Erion Johnson, started Youth Builders STL after last year's EF-3 tornado.

Johnson was already running a program that provided mentorship and taught trade-skills to local teens, but realized their efforts could be spent helping the community as well.

"Youth Builders is an opportunity to show youth real survival skills," Johnson said. "It's more than just building homes. It's about giving them responsibility in life, showing them how to be disciplined, overall showing them how to be good people."

Johnson said the teens helped construction crews redo most of Martin's Temple and redid an entire bathroom by themselves - from the stalls to laying the floor.

Johnson said both teens and the community benefit from the program, and that it's strengthening the bond between the two.

"I've never really seen someone tear up something that they've made," he said. "So we'll be able to keep the money in the community and they'll be able to say they 'I built that.' 30 years from now they'll be to drive by this church and say to their kids 'I helped remodel this church.'"

A ceremony recognizing youth builder's accomplishments is being held Saturday at the Urban League headquarters.

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