Drive around the Boise Valley and you can see our growth everywhere — new homes, businesses, roads and neighborhoods. But behind all of that growth is a question we don't always ask:
Who is going to build it?
Who will wire the homes, install the plumbing, operate the equipment, build the structures, repair the machinery and keep this rapidly growing valley moving? Skilled tradespeople aren't simply in demand — they are essential to the future of our communities.
Teens2Trades is the brainchild of Idaho business and community leader Tommy Ahlquist, founder of the Inspire Excellence Idaho foundation. His idea was straightforward: help young people who choose not to pursue a traditional four-year degree and want to build a career in the trades.
Five years ago when Tommy asked me to join the Inspire Excellence board, I told him I was looking for a local nonprofit to raise money for at a charity golf tournament I would host. He said, "You're done looking! Let's go!" And just like that, the Teens2Trades Charity/Celebrity Golf Tournament was born.
This year's fourth annual tournament raised $225,000 from dozens of business and community leaders who recognize the skills gap in our state and want to change that. Ten professional and celebrity golfers were auctioned off to help make the day special.
But the golf, celebrities, raffle and auction are just part of the story.
That $225,000 will help provide tools through the Tools4Teens grant program at D&B Supply, along with scholarships at the College of Western Idaho. Real tools. Real futures.
For Caldwell High senior Eli Ingle, that's not just a tagline. Eli has a passion for fixing small engines, welding and figuring out how things work. As a Tools4Teens grant recipient, he received nearly $1,000 worth of tools to help him explore a future in the trades.
"Getting the tools and the money to help me branch out and explore other things," Eli said, "it just gives you the experience for more opportunities to find a future career that I otherwise may never have had."
Eli spoke at this year's golf tournament luncheon, sharing his story directly with Tommy Ahlquist. His presence in that room said everything the $225,000 can't.
Teens2Trades isn't about telling young people that a four-year college degree isn't valuable. It's about making sure they understand it isn't the only path to a successful and rewarding career.
Five years ago I agreed to host a charity golf tournament. What I discovered was something much bigger. We weren't just putting on a golf tournament — we were helping young people find their way. Young people who will, someday soon, be the heartbeat of this valley.
And that's a pretty good reason to tee it up.
For information and grant applications: teens2trades.org