Poettker Construction awarded four $500 scholarships to high school seniors through the company’s NextGen program. Rooted in its Community Engagement Core Value and dedication to educating students and teachers about construction, Poettker Construction, based in Breese, Ill., celebrated 45 years in 2025 and founded its NextGen community outreach program to support hands-on learning, student resources, and future workforce development.

“At Poettker, we believe early exposure to construction, along with hands-on learning, inspires students and supports the future of our industry and communities,” said Jon Carroll, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer at Poettker Construction. “Through NextGen, we’re blessed to support schools with resources that enhance student learning and to recognize the next generation of construction professionals. These grants and scholarships reflect our commitment to making a meaningful impact where we live and work.”

Poettker prides itself on preparing the next generation of leaders. This year, Poettker awarded scholarships to the following high school students planning to pursue a college degree or trade school certification in construction or a related field:

Ethan Habermehl, Columbia High School 

Ethan Habermehl, a senior at Columbia High School, received a $500 NextGen scholarship to put toward a degree in Civil Engineering from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Owen Menke, Columbia High School

Owen Menke, a senior at Columbia High School, received a $500 NextGen scholarship to put toward a Construction Management degree from Missouri State University.

Titan Hires, Litchfield High School

Titan Hires, a senior at Litchfield High School, received a $500 NextGen scholarship to put toward his Business Management degree at Rockford University.

Zachary Duffie, Freeburg High School

Zachary Duffie, a senior at Freeburg High School, received a $500 NextGen scholarship to put toward a Construction Management degree from Southeast Missouri State University.

NextGen also serves as a platform for educating students about the industry. Poettker hosts project site tours for students and faculty, engages students in hands-on STEM activities, drone demonstrations, and hosts important construction milestone events, such as groundbreakings and ribbon-cutting ceremonies.

Poettker Construction awarded six community impact grants to its Construction Management education clients through its NextGen program. Applying its Community Engagement Core Value to one of its primary markets, Poettker Construction created NextGen to support local schools and their mission to prepare the next generation of leaders.

Aviston Elementary School’s Accessible & Inclusive Literacy Library

Poettker Construction awarded $500 to Aviston Elementary School to support establishing an accessible and inclusive library that can provide literary services to students with physical, communication, and developmental disabilities.

Central School District 104’s Girls Emerging as Women Leaders

Central School District 104’s Girls Emerging as Women Leaders (GEWL) received $500 from Poettker’s NextGen program to fund its store, which provides essential toiletries and supplies to students in need.

Lichfield Elementary School’s Science Olympiad Program

In support of STEAM learning, Litchfield Elementary School’s Science Olympiad program received $500 from NextGen. The competitive team includes 15 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders who complete science projects in preparation for an annual competition against surrounding schools.

Litchfield Early Childhood Center’s STEM Kits

Poettker Construction’s $500 NextGen community impact grant will fund Litchfield Early Childhood Center’s STEM kits for kindergarten and first grade. The kits will enable students to experiment with the concepts of force and motion toward learning basic science concepts.

Richland County’s Early Learning Center will apply its $500 NextGen community impact grant from Poettker Construction toward its STEM bridge building project, which demonstrates to its students how engineers build bridges while considering structure, balance, and strength.

Pana Elementary School’s Science Olympiad & Family Literacy Night

Poettker Construction’s $500 NextGen community impact grant will support both Pana Elementary School‘s family literacy night and its competitive Science Olympiad team.

Poettker Construction’s NextGen program also provides scholarships to students and educational opportunities to its Construction Management clients, including site tours for teachers and students; hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) activities; drone demonstrations; steel topping celebrations; and presentations on the many career opportunities in the construction industry.

Find out more about the scholarships.

Find out more about the grants.