Concrete Strategies Honored With Namesake Classroom Following Lift For Life Academy Partnership
SAINT LOUIS, MO —A brand-new construction and shop classroom at Lift For Life Academy was named in honor of Concrete Strategies, a full-service concrete contractor headquartered in St. Louis, after the company lent a much-needed hand with some new amenities at the school.
The shop room, as well as a new locker room and auditorium, were completed at Lift For Life in the 1700 block of South Broadway. When Concrete Strategies found out the school was raising donations for new facilities, the cement pros chipped in hundreds of hours of pro bono work, along with several partners.
“It’s an honor to be able to make this happen for the students and community,” said Pat Moriarity, President of Concrete Strategies. “Not only is Lift For Life a worthy institution for this kind of support—but we’re also helping these kids get exposure to the trades at a young age through the construction classroom, which is obviously a very big deal for us. We’re thrilled to contribute to Lift For Life Academy’s mission of educational excellence.”
In 2000, Lift For Life Academy became the first independent charter middle school to open in St. Louis. It has been a pillar of the community, offering a comprehensive educational program for students in kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school—all on a single campus. The new amenities from this project will benefit students at every grade level. The academy focuses on preparing students for success by providing them with a rigorous curriculum, individualized support, and extracurricular programs including externships and shadowing opportunities to explore career options.
“The generosity of local companies like Concrete Strategies makes our community all the better—and we’re so grateful,” said Marshall Cohen, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Lift For Life Academy. “Now we can offer even more to our student body, including upleveled exposure to career paths in the trades.”
Students have been participating in construction class for several years now, Cohen said, but with the new classroom built by Concrete Strategies, students can get more hands-on experience and familiarity with the skills required for a successful start in the trades.
“Plus, now they can use the table saws without disrupting the other classes,” Cohen said. “But good humor aside, corporate giving has slowed down recently—so this was a game changer for kids on campus.”
Concrete Strategies has a long-standing reputation for delivering high-quality construction projects on time and within budget. The company exhibits its philosophy of “More to the Pour” by enlisting high-caliber people to execute on projects big and small. The company used its expertise to create top-notch facilities that will enhance the learning environment at Lift For Life Academy. The new facilities will not only provide students with modern and functional spaces but will also foster a sense of pride and ownership within the community.
By partnering with Lift For Life Academy, Concrete Strategies reinforces its More to the Pour” philosophy and commitment to corporate social responsibility, giving back to the communities where it operates, investing in education and empowering future generations. The company firmly believes that providing equitable access to quality education is crucial for the development and success of individuals and communities.
“We’re just very proud to have been a part of this,” Moriarty said. “And to have the school decide to name their construction classroom after us—it’s just humbling and we really are touched.”
About Concrete Strategies
Concrete Strategies is a national, full-service concrete contractor headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. With regional offices across the country, Concrete Strategies provides industry-leading turnkey, design-build concrete construction services using architectural site cast concrete, structural concrete, flatwork, site utilities and all types of self-performing concrete for commercial projects. Concrete Strategies completes over $500 million in revenue annually. For more information, visit https://concretestrategies.com/.
About Clayco
Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely and sustainably delivers the highest quality solutions to clients across North America on time, on budget, and above and beyond expectations. With $4.9 billion in revenue for 2021, Clayco specializes in the “art and science of building,” providing fast track, efficient solutions for industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential-related building projects. For more information, visit www.claycorp.com.