Each student was given the same challenge: Build a structure using 100 Lego blocks, some string, foil and paper in 40 minutes. What they built was up to them, but the possibilities were endless.

Wearing yellow, plastic construction hats, the Gage Elementary School second- and third-graders sat on the floor and began to build. The event, Blocks for Kids, was an introduction to a future in the trade industry.

"I think this event is vital," said Jess Oeltjen, president of the National Association of Women in Construction Chapter 346 in Rochester. "When we came in two weeks ago, students didn't know what a structure was. Now they're grasping the concept and are applying what they learn, and this puts things into perspective for them."

The association is marking its 25th year in Rochester and more than two decades of providing friendly competition for elementary school students. Blocks for Kids is also a vital opportunity to show that the trade industry is meant for both men and women.

Winners from the competition get Target gift cards, and the first-place winner advances to a regional contest against other chapters.

In recent years, the event has attracted 25 to 40 students.

"It has grown so much," Kelly Johnson, a charter member of NAWIC, told the Post Bulletin . "This event is great because it brings everyone together from within the industry, to help support us. We're in a male-dominated career field, and to have other organizations support us is amazing."

Women have worked in trade industries for decades, but employers often have trouble recruiting women and minorities. Chad Bestor, a HiMec project manager and a Blocks for Kids judge, said that Minnesota statute requires a number of women and minorities to work on certain projects, such as construction of the U.S. Bank Stadium in the Twin Cities.

But the push for students to earn four-year college degrees has led to a labor shortage among the trades. Bestor said that showing how lucrative and successful a person can be from working in construction can encourage students to consider a career in the trades, especially women.

"Women are really important in our industry," he said. "If they're interested, then parents should try to encourage that interest. . Trade is just a different path to success. This event is a nice opportunity to socialize and to gauge where a student's interest is at."

The Blocks for Kids event is open to both boys and girls. Aside from the building competition, students were also able to try their hand at a number of activity stations about plumbing, electricity and carpentry.

Y Nha Nguyen, a third-grader at Gage Elementary, had built two small bridges out of blocks. She then carefully placed the smaller of the two on top of the other, creating a covered bridge for judges to examine. This was the first time the young girl competed in the NAWIC competition.

"I liked it a lot," Nguyen said, smiling. "I was just building, and I had fun."

Did she want to join the trade industry?

"I want to be a scientist," she said. "But, I might change my mind. I'd do it again."

___

Information from: Post-Bulletin, http://www.postbulletin.com

An AP Member Exchange shared by the Post Bulletin.